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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687862">The Youngest Celestial and the Lone Dragon</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcastic_Pretzel/pseuds/Sarcastic_Pretzel'>Sarcastic_Pretzel</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fairy Tail</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aquarius is scary, Aries is a cinnamon roll that could kill you, Assassin AU, Assassination, BAMF Lucy Heartfilia, Dystopia, F/M, Friendship, Gemini is a tired Grandpa, Gen, Loke is a mother hen, Lucy is the baby of the family, Missions/Requests, Modern AU, Nakama/Partners, Natsu never went to Fairy Tail, No Magic AU, Virgo is all-seeing don't question it</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 02:01:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>45,440</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27687862</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarcastic_Pretzel/pseuds/Sarcastic_Pretzel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Having grown up in her mother's guild 'The Celestials', Lucy has been trained to become a first class assassin, who doesn't back away from a challenge; be it taking on a blue haired trafficker or having an argument with a stranger via a public website at 4am.<br/>Natsu has lost everything long ago, but continues his mission to defy the corrupt Rune Knights at every turn, throwing down pepper-grenades along the way.<br/>An unspecific mission request results in weapons clashing and nicknames being exchanged.<br/>Blasts from the past and new enemies rear their heads, whilst the Celestials just want to keep their youngest nakama out of trouble. But when she's paired with a fire-blasting pinkette; that's a losing battle.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aquarius/Scorpio (Fairy Tail), Aries/Loke (Fairy Tail), Celestial Spirits &amp; Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel &amp; Lucy Heartfilia, Natsu Dragneel/Lucy Heartfilia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>200</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>65</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Bora the 'Last Dragon'</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I don't know if this is necessary, but it seems that everyone is doing it, so here it goes: I do not, in any way or form, own Fairy Tail. I got nothing except the story line.<br/>In case it isn't already obvious from that, this is my very first fanfiction, as well as the first time I post anything online.<br/>But that doesn't mean you have to be nice! Like it? Hate it? Think I've completely messed up somewhere along the way? Please let me know in the comments. I would love to hear your feedback.<br/>Now, without further ado: here is the first chapter of my Fairy Tail Assassin AU. Hope you enjoy.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The night was warm and cloudless, stars shining onto the sleeping city below, giving everything an almost peaceful appearance. That however, was the furthest thing from the truth. Whilst the honest citizens –few that there were- slept inside their homes, after having triple checked that all the doors and windows were securely locked, if they were smart, the not-so-honest people awoke.</p><p>They went about their own business, ranging from theft, to bribery, black-mail and even those very shifty figures that worked in the trafficking rings; be it drugs or people. In their country, plagued by corruption and haunted by generations of weak kings with devious advisors, that’s how things went.</p><p>Long ago, Fiore had been a truly great nation, where the Rune Knights worked to uphold the peace and security and not to spread chaos how it suited them, all in order to line their own pockets. Where it hadn’t been lethal to take a stroll at night, or to use alleys as shortcuts (risky, yes, but not a sure method of suicide). Where the law had to be obeyed by everyone and wasn’t just used as rough guidelines or ignored completely. That’s what people told each other anyway.</p><p>At some point, the people must’ve had enough and decided to fight fire with fire. And that’s how the guilds had formed. If the state didn’t care for them, why should they listen to their rules? To stand even a chance against the illegal businesses and corruption that the old laws did nothing against; new, unofficial laws were created. And those guilds were the result. People with certain skills and determination that worked just as far outside the law as every criminal, yet they did it to benefit their cities, to bring some semblance of safety to the common man.</p><p>That’s why she was there.</p><p>Standing on a rooftop across from the old warehouse, watching the happenings with an unreadable expression, was the youngest member of one of the most feared assassin guilds in all of Fiore.</p><p>An unmarked, white van –how original of them- had parked in front of the warehouse’s opened side door. She frowned, displeased with the people she saw. Only the common goons you’d expect to be out at this time of night, but the leader –and her target- hadn’t shown yet.</p><p>How rude of him. She was up at the ungodly hour of 3am, and he was late for his appointment to be killed. Not that the guy knew about it, but he could at least make an effort to supervise the loading of his ‘shipment’.</p><p>A loud motor cut through the silent night, and a sleek, mid-life-crisis, sport’s car cut around the corner.</p><p>Bingo.</p><p>If that wasn’t him, then she’d volunteer for laundry duty for a whole month.</p><p>A tall man, with dark blue hair and a strange x-tattoo over one eyebrow, stepped out the roaring monstrosity.</p><p>She wouldn’t have to wrestle with the mountain of laundry made by eleven people! That was him.   </p><p>As silent as a shadow, the girl slipped of the roof, down onto the street below, close enough to hear the boss giving the order to start with the ‘loading’.</p><p>Two goons stepped out the warehouse, carrying an unconscious young woman between them. She wore a dress and heels, ready to go out and party.</p><p>So that was his ruse. Trick them into accepting an innocent invitation to a get-together and then strike. Not that it would help him anymore.</p><p>They loaded her into the back of the van, the next two already following behind, carrying the next woman.</p><p>She’d seen enough. This assassin liked to see the damning evidence for herself before she carried out her mission, just in case someone had made a mistake. But there could be no doubt about what was happening here and what she had to do.</p><p>Taking a quick breath and adorning the innocent smile of a normal teenager, she stepped out of the shadows and into the dim light coming from the warehouse, a few steps behind the –illegally- parked car from the boss.</p><p>“Oh my.” She inquired loud enough for them to hear her clearly, completely calm. “What is going on here?”</p><p>Every –conscious- head snapped in her direction, five pairs of eyes taking in the sudden appearance of a girl in her mid-teens, staring at them with a theatrical look of mild curiosity.</p><p>Of cause they hadn’t bothered to hide their trafficking business better. Why would they? The Rune Knights wouldn’t stop them, or else risk getting no bribes or ‘taxes’ from the resulting profits. Citizens of Crocus were too smart to walk about at night, and any tourists that had the brain-fart to actually go on vacation in their country’s capital, would be thoroughly warned before even stepping foot out the hotel’s door.</p><p>So a young woman running into them, seemingly by chance, was something clever criminals might get suspicious about. Luckily, there were no <em>clever</em> criminals in sight.</p><p>“Well, well. Look what we have here boys.” The boss, Bora, if the mission poster had been correct, grinned. “Wouldn’t she make a fine addition to <em>the group</em>?”</p><p>His cronies laughed darkly in agreement.</p><p>“That’s a kind offer, but sadly I cannot join you this evening.” The polite comment with a friendly smile –not the usual reaction one would expect from a lone teenager in such a situation- managed to startle the five men a little, but still, no alarm bells went off in their heads.</p><p>The blonde girl sighed innerly. Sometimes it was too easy to even be considered a good exercise.</p><p>“Maybe if you release these women, hand yourselves over to the Independent Police and confess to all your crimes, you might get a few years off your sentence for cooperation.”</p><p>Bora shook his head, impatient to get on with the task at hand and gestured to one of the men, a large, bold guy with an eyepatch. “Grab her, will ya? This kind of luck doesn’t come about every day.”</p><p>The man grinned gleefully, happy to have something more exciting to do.</p><p>“Come on now, girly. If you cooperate, we won’t hurt you.” He advanced towards her, facing her still smiling and relaxed pose. As he stretched out one arm, intend on roughly taking her by the shoulders, a snap echoed through the otherwise silent street.</p><p>Everyone stared at the girl again, caution finally coming to mind.</p><p>In a split second, she’d dropped the innocent-girl-act, and stood there in a defensive stance, a whip swinging back into her waiting hands.</p><p>The man with the eyepatch touched his cheek with a shaking hand. When his fingers came back blood red, realization finally shone in his eyes.</p><p>A teenage girl, legendarily quick and using a long whip with a metal tip...</p><p>“You...you’re an assassin!” He finally shouted, jumping back and pointing an accusing finger at her.</p><p>The girl in question simply smiled, a knowing and cunning kind of smile, the sweet and polite look long gone. She lifted up her left hand, the golden ink of her emblem glistening in the little light that reached her.</p><p>A circular star with ten points, the symbol of a key in the center: the sign of the eleventh member of the Celestials, one of the biggest, fiercest and best assassin guilds in Crocus –if not all of Fiore.</p><p>“Lucy of the Celestials.” She said simply. “At your service.”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Bora stood frozen. So he’d finally done it. He’d gotten the attention of an assassin guild. And of the Celestials no less.</p><p>This would raise his reputation tenfold, making his merchandise even more desirable. His fingers itched at the possibility of so much money, yet his stomach refused to ease up on the queasy feeling. For him to make, and then spend, all that cash, he had to survive the night. And the Celestials weren’t such a high-ranking guild for letting their targets escape. His business brain was running through all the possible outcomes of the next minutes:</p><p>He could die. But that wouldn’t happen. Sure, this Lucy was a Celestial, but she was alone, small and outmatched in terms of weapons and numbers.</p><p>She could die. More likely and more desirable, in his opinion. But there was also her guild to consider. If someone killed a member, the rest would drop whatever they were doing and go after that person with a vengeance. He might survive this encounter with a single one of them, but if the other ten would come after him...</p><p>Then there was the other side of the coin; flight, not fight. If he ran, he couldn’t be held responsible by the other assassins for her injuries...or death.</p><p>He’d have to abandon his shipment, something which made him growl in frustration. But he could get new stock, his impersonation of celebrities was a sure guarantee for that.</p><p>Before he could make a final decision, the assassin spoke again. Her level voice and composed features as business-like as his mind.</p><p>“I’m not here for you, just Bora.-”</p><p>He realized she was talking to his men, the two in front of him, one still clutching his cheek, and the other two by the van behind him. With slow movements, Bora began reaching through his open car door, his hand searching for the backpack on the passenger seat, the carefully laid out options forgotten.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>“-If you leave now and don’t turn back, I will let you live. However, I swear that if I hear a whisper, if I so much as suspect that you’re in this line of work again, I will hunt you down and won’t even wait for a request...or an explanation from your side. And I never break a promise.”</p><p>Lucy watched the terrified eyes of the four men she had addressed. The two by the van looked as if they were about to –or already had- soiled their pants. Their eyes met for a second, then sprinted down the other side of the dark street, disappearing as they skidded around the nearest corner.</p><p>“Cowards!” Bora shouted after them. “I will get you for this!”</p><p>“No you won’t.” Lucy stated calmly, letting her whip curl by her feet, ready to fly with a sharp movement of her wrist. “You will never hurt anyone ever again.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mission successful.</p><p>Lucy walked peacefully down the dark streets, looking up into the starry sky.</p><p>The one with the eyepatch –and what would soon be a considerable scar on one side of his face- had also tucked tail and ran, following his two companions from before. Only one had stayed to defend his boss, albeit with a slightly shaking hand that was clutching a large knife.</p><p>Lucy had to admire his loyalty –if to the wrong sort of person. She’d let him live. Knocked-out and severely injured, but alive. Bora hadn’t been so lucky.</p><p>After fumbling around in his car –not nearly as inconspicuous as he would’ve liked to believe- he’d pulled out a black bag, hoisting it over his shoulder in a quick motion. Lucy had let it happen, curious what exactly his plan was.</p><p>As it turned out, a flamethrower had been his plan. Black flames had shot out of the igniter, straight at her. It had been disappointingly easy to dodge them. Lesson for the day, well night: flamethrowers aren’t very handy in close combat!</p><p>She hadn’t even needed to come close enough to risk getting burned. Her whip had severed the fuel hose from a safe distance, leaving the machine leaking an oily substance, but no more flames. Bora had fallen in the same strike. And she hadn’t even needed to get her knives –her signature weapons- dirty.</p><p>Lucy had called the Independent Police –anonymously, of cause-, made her mark and stayed with the unconscious women until she heard the sirens approaching. She was operating well outside the law, old and new, but the I.P. needed her kind. They were grossly underfunded, understaffed and under pressure to just keep both eyes shut. They didn’t have the resources to take out someone like Bora on their own. But they could be trusted to get those girls back home safely, to throw the henchman into hospital and then jail, and to remove the blue haired man’s corpse.</p><p>And tomorrow Lucy would find a small sum of money on her bank-account from an overly grateful family, who’d gotten their daughter back.</p><p>She smiled into the night sky, pleased with herself. The streets of Crocus would be a little bit safer because of her. She sighed happily, before remembering that there was one more thing she had to do...</p><p>“You can come out now!”</p><p>There was a muffled curse from the roofs that lined the street, accompanied by a worried whimper.</p><p>Seconds later, two figures dropped onto the street in front of her. Lucy rolled her eyes and walked to the ginger man with sunglasses –despite the fact that it was nighttime-, wearing a black suit and the young woman with pink hair and a fluffy, white dress.</p><p>“Lucy, dear.” The ginger called with over the top levels of enthusiasm. “What a coincidence to run into you here...I’d completely forgotten that you had your mission tonight...”</p><p>Lucy raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “Seriously?”</p><p>“What? Such things happen...”</p><p>“Loke, you were the one who taught me how to lie.”</p><p>“Crap. I did do that, didn’t I?”</p><p>Lucy rolled her eyes, but couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face. “Even though you can’t do it to save your life.”</p><p>Whilst Loke was making sounds of protest, the pinkette looked at Lucy with big, worried eyes.</p><p>“I’m sorry for spying on you.” She mumbled.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Aries.” Lucy smiled reassuringly at her fellow Celestial. “I find it sweet that you worry about me. Although-“, she added with a side-look at Loke, “I am perfectly capable of dealing with thugs on my own and <em>don’t </em>need supervision.”</p><p>“Why are you looking just at me?” Loke deflected, but the way he averted his gaze told Lucy all she needed to know.</p><p>“Because I know you talked her into it.” She put an arm around Aries small shoulders as they continued down the streets on their way home.</p><p>“We were worried about the baby of the family.” Loke said in a sing-song voice, quickly jumping aside to dodge Lucy’s half-hearted swing.</p><p>As the street got narrower, Lucy walked behind her two guild members; Loke and Aries walking side-by side, arms intertwined.</p><p>She smiled when Aries leaned further into her partner and Loke rested his head on hers.</p><p>Guilds were family, especially to Lucy who’d been raised by the Celestials. A guild was a home and a sanctuary to all its members. If one was hurt, kidnapped or even killed on a mission or in an attack, the entire guild would rally, and whoever had harmed their nakama, their breaths were numbered.</p><p>But a partner was something else. They were two pieces of one whole assassin. Their fighting styles complimented each other, they played off each other, made the other reach their fullest potential. They were also the first in line to revenge their partner’s pain or –in the worst case scenario- death. Partners had an unbreakable bond; they had each other’s back no matter how hopeless things looked, trusting each other with their lives –which meant a lot in their line of work.</p><p>Loke brought Aries out of her shell, making her less shy and apologetic solely with his presence. Aries made Loke’s playboy-persona soften and brought out a certain look in his eyes, whenever he looked at her.</p><p>The relationship between two assassins could range from anywhere in the spectrum:</p><p>It could be romantic, like Aquarius and Scorpio, or completely platonic, like Cancer and Capricorn or Virgo and Gemini. Or the ‘we-are-totally-not-in-a-romantic-relationship’ (wink, wink; nudge, nudge) of Loke and Aries, or as they put it: ‘it’s complicated’.</p><p>Lucy loved her family above anything else and would’ve stuck her eleven knives into anyone who dared to hurt any of her nakama, without hesitation. But as she watched Loke and Aries, she longed for someone she could share that unique bond with.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Natsu wasn’t having a great night. There was something about being impersonated by a cold-hearted criminal in the human-trafficking business that ruined a Saturday evening.</p><p>It had taken some time, but he’d finally found information on the guy here in Crocus who called himself ‘the last Dragon’. Apparently the guy worked in the warehouse district, conducting his ‘business’ there at night time.</p><p>Problem was, the warehouse district was huge. There were empty ones; ones still in use, packed with goods and surrounded by night guards; and the abandoned ones.</p><p>Natsu, having assumed that this imposter had a little brain behind his skull, had thought that he’d operate behind the closed doors of a guarded warehouse, with hired goons acting as the watchful eyes, warning the boss if trouble was approaching.</p><p>It seemed Natsu had overestimated the guy’s intelligence. </p><p>After having broken into a good dozen warehouses –and having been chased by guards 7 times, by guard dogs 3 times and attacked by an angry pigeon once- he still couldn’t find a trace of the fake-him. So, his next move had been to work through the rest of the large buildings systematically, something very unusual for him. He’d stopped 6 drug dealers, 2 drunken brawls that could’ve turned ugly and 1 attempt at animal abuse from some bored goons, before he heard the sirens, only a few streets away.</p><p>Watching from the shadowy safety of a nearby roof, Natsu saw DIY police cars blocking both sides of the street, lights still flashing on top of the vehicles. An ambulance had pulled up beside a plain white van. Paramedics were rushing around, one checking the glassy eyes of a groggy looking woman with a small flashlight, whilst a whole group were being questioned by the I.P.. Two of the doctors were loading a badly beaten man onto a stretcher and into the back of the ambulance. One officer was taking photos of a flashy sports car. But what Natsu was mainly interested in, was the sight two police officers were looking at: a blue haired man, with a demolished flamethrower on his back, lying face-down on the cold street, a pool of blood beneath him.</p><p>The description fit. Someone had gotten to the imposter before Natsu. He felt a little sulky that he hadn’t gotten justice for his name being dragged through the mud. But one look at the women, some crying and being comforted by the I.P., some still passed out and some looking around confused with slow moving eyes, and he realized that he would’ve probably been too late.</p><p>He couldn’t be sure of the exact details of what had happened in front of that long abandoned warehouse, but any idiot could tell you that this had been an assassin’s doing. The boss dead, the loyal foot-soldier harshly warned and none of the victims hurt.</p><p>Natsu scanned the area from his vantage point, looking for the tell-tale sign that told anyone from their professional circles who it was that had succeeded at a mission. Old graffiti and tattered posters from movies long gone from the theatres hung around the walls of the warehouses. One, however caught his eye.</p><p>Right next to the building’s opened door, only steps away from the cooling body, which was now being covered up with a white sheet, was a freshly painted symbol: a golden sun –no, not a sun- a round star with ten points and an old-fashioned key inside the circle. It stood apart from the old paint beneath it, practically shining in the beaming light from the cars’ headlights.</p><p>Natsu was willing to bet his supply of smoke bombs that that paint would be washed away during the next couple of rainfalls, leaving no evidence that anything had happened there in the first place. He couldn’t recall ever having seen that emblem before. Possibly a new guild had formed, or one from a few towns over had taken on the mission.</p><p>Either way, they had cost him one fight that could’ve turned out interesting. Fire vs fire. Now he was feeling sulky again.</p><p>Natsu made his way back home, taking the shortcut over the rooftops. He was still itching for a good fight. Maybe he should check the online request board. That way the bad guy couldn’t be taken out before he’d actually gotten there.</p><p>A few jumps later and Natsu slipped in through the window into his apartment in one of the many unsafe districts of the city. Hey, might as well be close to the action.</p><p>A small ‘meow’ greeted him, quickly followed by a blue kitten, jumping onto Natsu’s arm, finding hold on his scarf.</p><p>“Hey buddy.” The assassin scratched the tiny cat’s head. He slumped into his spiny chair in front of his desk, staring at the blank computer screen.</p><p>Happy meowed again, looking at his roommate with big eyes.</p><p>“No, it didn’t go as planned.” Natsu answered the question. “Someone got to the guy before me. I didn’t get the chance to teach that ass not to disrespect the Dragons’ name...”</p><p>He trailed off, before a thought sprang to his mind. In a quick motion, which made Happy whine in protest and cling his little claws further into the scarf’s fabric, Natsu switched on his laptop, typing in his password and called up the website, specifically tailored for assassins and job requests.</p><p>The Rune Knights constantly tried to shut down this way of communication between the guilds and desperate citizens, but never managed to, no matter how often they banned the use of this site.</p><p>Requests with all the needed information –who, what, when, where, why and how much the reward was- could be posted anonymously. However, only registered ‘legal’ assassins could log in and claim such a mission and correspond with whoever had send the post.   </p><p>The password was changed every month, given out by the Assassin Council at the meeting that occurred at the same time, open for all guilds to attend.</p><p>But there was also an option to view recently completed missions.</p><p>Natsu quickly logged on:</p><p><span class="u">Username:</span> SALAMANDER</p><p><span class="u">Password:</span> Yajima’s Weekend Special</p><p>He bypassed the requests for now, heading straight to the ‘Completed’-list.</p><p>There, right at the top, posted only a few minutes ago, was the request speaking of a missing daughter and the suspect of a certain ‘Bora’.</p><p>Natsu cursed himself. He’d seen that request a few days ago, but hadn’t guessed that this guy was the one impersonating him. He’d only found out the scumbag’s name today. Well, technically yesterday.</p><p>Below it said in bold letters ‘Completed’, but there was no username given. Just the picture of the same golden symbol he’d found at the crime scene: the golden star encircling a key.</p><p>The pinkette squinted at the emblem, unable to enlarge it. The whole thing was unfamiliar to him, the key itself however... He was sure of it. That key was the sign of the Celestials; the crazy powerful guild that operated here in Crocus.</p><p>He’d seen them at a few meetings, always there in teams of two, but never the whole guild. He couldn’t blame them, the meetings were boring with a yawn in the word. They went over the recently accomplished missions, talked rules and news about the Rune Knights –which was never anything spectacular. The only reason most assassins were there was to receive the password at the end, same as him. That’s why there were only ever one or two members of a guild present at any time. Those lucky enough to have a guild would just be waiting to share the new phase with their nakama back home.</p><p>Every Celestial had a key in their otherwise unique emblems. For example, he’d seen a scary looking, tall woman with blue hair, who had the key symbol beneath a wavy line on her collarbone, whilst a red and white haired man beside her had the key under a weird ‘m’ with a pointy end on his shoulder.</p><p>Usually guilds all had the same emblem as their nakama, but the Celestials were something special in their own way. He’d heard crazy stories about their members; like how one of them had defeated a room full of armed gang members with just a bottle full of water, or how another blinded their opponents with a flashlight, so that all they had to do was simply push them over. Apparently, one used knitting needles as a weapon, whilst another gave out free haircuts to the rescued victims. If the rumors were to be believed.</p><p>He wondered which one of them had taken out Bora. Maybe he could challenge them to a fight, if he ever ran into them. Taking on a Celestial was something every sane person tried to avoid at all costs, but it would make up for the fight Natsu had missed tonight.</p><p>Filled with new enthusiasm, he clicked on the little speech-bubble icon and began typing.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. New Missions and Acquaintances</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The trio of Lucy, Loke and Aries entered the large house inhabited by the Celestial guild, with the key painted on the front door, to find their members sitting around in the kitchen or the joined living room, despite the time of night. Or morning.</p><p>“I told you, she’d know you’re following her.” Capricorn said from his spot on the large armchair, sipping on a cup of coffee and reading a thick volume, not looking up from his studies.</p><p>“She always does.” Scorpio yelled enthusiastically from the kitchen, giving Lucy a thumbs-up sign.</p><p>“I take it the mission went well?” Virgo, formal as ever, asked Lucy, standing at attention in her maid outfit.</p><p>“Yep, complete success.” The youngest member answered, a hint of pride in her voice. “Bora is gone and the women are safe. It felt a little too easy.”</p><p>“We knew yooooou could dooooo it.” Taurus yelled from the sofa, not quite managing to stifle a yawn.</p><p>“Of cause you could do it.” Aquarius said sternly, sitting at the kitchen counter with a tall glass of water. “We trained you too well to have problems with such a small criminal.”</p><p>That was basically like a bouquet of roses coming from the blue haired woman and Lucy felt proud, despite the relative ease she’d finished the job with.</p><p>“Is that why you’re all up at 3:30am, waiting for me to come home safely?” She asked innocently.</p><p>The usual sputters of ‘couldn’t sleep’ (Taurus), ‘just came down for something to drink’ (Aquarius), ‘reading is a night-time activity’ (Capricorn), ‘I had to fix my hair’ (Cancer), ‘I haven’t realized how late it is’ (Virgo) and ‘my favorite show was on’ (Scorpio, despite the TV being off) came from her guild mates and Lucy had to laugh. It didn’t matter how strong she became, how many bad guys she defeated, her family would always worry about her. It was a nice feeling, to know that she had people who cared so much for her well-being that they would stay up all night, ready to head out if they got word from the two spying on her that she was in trouble.</p><p>“Technically, not all of us, baby.” Cancer said, whilst styling his hair in the hallway mirror. He gestured over to the kitchen island where Sagittarius lay passed out, drooling on yesterday’s newspaper and to the second armchair, where Gemini was snoring contently. </p><p>Taurus got up and heaved the man in the horse costume over his shoulder in one swift movement, and Virgo picked up Gemini princess style, both assassins continuing to sleep. They said their goodnights and carried their respective partners upstairs.</p><p>Lucy followed them, waving goodnight to her remaining nakama, who were pretending that they weren’t about to face plant from lack of sleep.</p><p>Walking past Gemini’s room, she saw Virgo tucking him in, tightening the blanket so hard it was a miracle the elderly, light-blue haired man’s blood circulation wasn’t cut off.</p><p>Lucy continued up the flights of stairs until she reached the very top; her cozy attic room. The stars shone down on her from the large roof window, as she got ready for some well-deserved sleep, carefully placing all the knives she’d taken along onto her desk. Except her eleventh with the star engraving. She kept that one around her neck at all times. In her profession, you could never be too careful. Plus, she liked to keep it close.</p><p>Lucy had posted the completion of the mission via her phone on the way back home, but she checked the site once more out of habit. The client hadn’t answered yet, but that was to be expected. They were probably reuniting with their daughter and she wouldn’t want to disrupt that moment for them.</p><p>Lucy did see however, that someone had texted something on the website. The option was usually used for assassins to warn each other about fake jobs; laid out traps by the Rune Knights, or about particularly dangerous criminals. But what she saw surprised her:</p><p> </p><p><strong>SALAMANDER</strong>: 2 whichever celestial killed Bora: HE WAS USING MY NAME! I SHOULDA TAKEN HIM OUT!</p><p> </p><p>Lucy didn’t know what this guy was thinking. He should’ve taken the job request first then. Before she could think about it for too long, she wrote a response:</p><p> </p><p><strong>STARLIGHT</strong>: It’s not my fault you were too slow to accept the mission! You snooze, you lose!</p><p> </p><p>Not exactly a very grown-up response, but it was too early for Lucy to think of a reasonably sophisticated message to return.</p><p>She was about to shut off her phone, drop onto her inviting bed and watch the stars above her as she drifted off to sleep, but another textbox appeared and postponed her plans.</p><p> </p><p><strong>SALAMANDER</strong>: I DIDN’T SNOOZE YOU MEANIE! didn’t even know his real name until 2night!</p><p> </p><p>Well, he wouldn’t win any awards for maturity either!</p><p>Lucy sighed. She could just put her phone away and go to sleep, but something told her if she did that, it would be seen as a victory for the idiot on the other side of the conversation. So, she made herself comfortable in her bed and started texting a more measured response:</p><p> </p><p><strong>STARLIGHT</strong>: It’s not my fault you couldn’t figure out who was using you name, Salamander! Next time call a dibs or something. I’m just doing my job. And what does it matter? Bora is dead. He won’t be calling himself anything anymore. Your name is cleared.</p><p><strong>SALAMANDER</strong>: but I missed out on a good fight cause of u! heard the guy used fire 4 a weapon</p><p> </p><p>That’s what he was sulking about?!</p><p>Lucy read the message twice. This guy -who had no regards for proper grammar- was upset because he missed out on a fight with a guy who misused his name?! It’s not like there was a shortage of scumbags around Crocus. There was plenty to do for an assassin.</p><p>She was very tempted to correct his ‘4 a weapon’ to ‘AS a weapon’, but managed to restrain the storywriter inside her.</p><p> </p><p><strong>STARLIGHT</strong>: Listen, it really wasn’t much of a fight. It was over in two seconds. Flamethrowers don’t make good weapons! And this is Crocus! You’ll find someone else to beat up!</p><p><strong>SALAMANDER</strong>: u still o me a fight</p><p><strong>STARLIGHT</strong>: I most certainly don’t!</p><p><strong>SALAMANDER:</strong> oh cmon. heard you celestials are always ready 2 brawl</p><p><strong>STARLIGHT:</strong> ONLY FOR A GOOD REASON!</p><p><strong>STARLIGHT: </strong>Why am I even still talking with you? It’s almost 4 am! Get some sleep and think before you challenge people you don’t know!</p><p><strong>SALAMANDER:</strong> FINE! but if we eva meet I’m gonna challenge u 2 a spar! </p><p><strong>MICHELLO</strong>: You are aware that this can be seen by EVERY assassin on the platform, yes?   </p><p> </p><p>Lucy threw her phone on her desk and screamed into a pillow. She was relatively new in the assassin circles and did not need a reputation for causing fight. Let alone on a ‘public’ platform for everyone to see! Damn this Salamander.</p><p>Who does he think he is, ‘<em>owe</em> me a fight’?! Lucy huffed and dropped back on her bed. Whoever he was, she was sure they wouldn’t see each other anytime soon.</p><p> </p><p>Lucy woke up to the sun shining in her face through the rooftop window and the sound of birds chirping just behind it. Not the worst way to start the morning...midday.</p><p>Still in her Pajamas, she hopped down the steps, energy fully restored and the silly argument forgotten. She was very quickly reminded of said incident, when she was greeted by Loke sitting at the kitchen island, scrolling through the requests on his tablet.</p><p>“Morning Princess.” The clock on the wall told them it was 12:47, but assassins were nocturnal workers, so messed up sleep-patterns were all part of the package. “I see you’ve made a friend.”</p><p>He lifted the tablet slightly to show her the chat from that morning.</p><p>Lucy rolled her eyes and poured hot water into her cup with the herbal tea bag. “I mean seriously. He gets mad that I took a job and did it right.”</p><p>“How do you know it’s a guy?” Loke countered.</p><p>“Only a guy could be that obnoxious.” Aquarius stated as she walked down the steps, her too having had a late night.</p><p>“Although you shouldn’t have indulged his whining!” She added with a sharp glance at Lucy.</p><p>“Yes, ma’am.”</p><p>Sensing the commotion, Capricorn came up from the basement -the gym/training room of the guild-, with Taurus coming back from the shed, as per usual, wearing nothing but boxers, where he’d just sharpened his beloved axe.   </p><p>“So Lucy.” Capricorn started, thankfully changing the conversation. “Have you considered what kind of job you would like to do next?”</p><p>The blonde nodded eagerly. “I’ve seen a few good-looking jobs requesting to take out small gangs or groups that are terrorizing parts of the city. Those could be interesting.”</p><p>“Yeah, but yooooou’ll want to hurry.” Taurus said matter-of-fact with a smirk. “After all...you snoooooze, you looooose. Right Luuuuucy?” The muscle packed man laughed as he easily caught the tea bag Lucy threw at him.</p><p>Alright, so maybe the conversation from that early morning wouldn’t go away that quickly.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>“Ooooh, Happy this sounds interesting.” Natsu was slouching in his chair, going through the requests online. Since he didn’t get his Celestial spar, he had to burn his energy in a more productive way.</p><p>“Listen to this: it’s from the Police themselves! They want someone to capture a couple of escaped members from an illegal guild! They want to get more information from them on other members...this could be fun.”</p><p>He quickly checked over the provided information. "Eisenwald...I’ve heard of those guys. Didn’t they try to eliminate the I.P. headquarters once?”</p><p>Happy meowed whilst munching on a fish, which the pinkette took as confirmation.</p><p>“Says here some members got away. Aaaaand two are supposed to be here in Crocus! Happy, this sounds like a job for the Salamander!”</p><p>The cat made a sound of acknowledgement that someone had said his name, but kept his full attention on the fish between his tiny teeth.</p><p>“Wait...they want two people for this job. Makes sense I guess for two criminals...But I’m sure I can manage them by myself! And if you come along buddy, we are technically two!”</p><p>He pressed the accept button, even though there was no option for plus-one cat, and the mission was pinned straight onto his start screen of the website.</p><p>“Alright, Happy. It looks like it’s time for some tracking down baddies!”</p><p>
  <em>Meow.</em>
</p><p>“...After you’ve had your fish. Then we’ll go find some dirtbags! I’m all fired up now!”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Lucy hadn’t lied when she said she wanted to take on small groups of criminals. But she was looking for something more challenging than the disappointing show-off with the blue-haired, flamethrower wielding trafficker.</p><p>“Eisenwald... pretty sure they were stopped by some guild from Magnolia...escaped members...two of them here in Crocus ...oooh, nice reward...” She muttered to herself, as the blonde assassin sat in her room, eying this one particular request straight from the I.P..</p><p>It would be a challenge. She’d heard of Eisenwald; the guild from a town east of Crocus, who had planned to do some truly heinous things. Any member from a guild like that would surely make for quite an opponent.</p><p>She checked the print at the bottom of the request form.</p><p>Only plus one person needed. So one person or more? If the I.P. thought so, it couldn’t be that difficult.</p><p>Before someone else could snatch the mission from under her nose, Lucy pressed ‘accept’ and the request disappeared from the list and went to her pin board.</p><p>And she didn’t even have to fib to keep her family from worrying; two people were technically a ‘small group’ and they <em>had</em> -technically- been terrorizing a city. Sure, another city, way east from them, but she’d never specified. No matter what the I.P. recommended in terms of numbers, she knew that her guild would either come along or sneak after her again. So maybe, just maybe, she wouldn’t be too specific about the details and possibly forget to inform them when the night of the mission would come.</p><p>Finding Bora had been all too easy, but Lucy had a feeling these two wouldn’t be as simple-minded as to stay in the same hide-out for months on end.</p><p>She became giddy at the challenge before her. Two thugs in a city full of them. She’d have to find two needles in a pile of other needles. And she couldn’t wait.</p><p>Grabbing all her eleven knives and whip, Lucy climbed out her window, and jumped over the roofs of Crocus, ready to gather the information she needed.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Maybe he should’ve thought twice about the mission he’d accepted so eagerly. Natsu had wanted a good fight. But to get that ‘good fight’ he had to find the bad guys first. And he hadn’t expected it to take so damn long.</p><p>Igneel had always counselled patience when on a mission, but it really wasn’t the young Dragon’s strongest attribute.</p><p>It took him three days to even catch a rumor of the escaped baddies he was looking for. Another one to track down the source of said rumor, which resulted in him having to sit through a three hour gossip-fest with the underworld’s lead man on information: Crux.</p><p>What he found strange was that, as a leaving comment, he heard that someone else had been asking the same questions as him. Was someone trying to steal his -this time even official!- mission? Again?!  </p><p>Another two days passed until he’d narrowed down one of the possible locations the two members from Eisenwald might be using as a meet-up.</p><p>On the evening of the seventh day after he’d accepted the request, Natsu was gearing up in his apartment, double checking his itinerary once again;</p><p>His staff with the matchbox fabric at either end? Check.</p><p>Belt with the color-coded grenades: smoke, pepper, special and classic? Check.</p><p>Gloves with build in blowtorch? Like he’d ever forget those.</p><p>Extra fabric for his staff -just in case-, together with a first-aid-kit in his backpack? Check.</p><p>Tiny, blue roommate sitting on top of previously mentioned supply in said backpack? <em>Meow</em>.</p><p>“Are you ready, buddy?” Natsu called out to his bag, whilst adjusting his scarf. The tiny blue head of his kitten poked out of top and gave an enthusiastic ‘meow’.</p><p>“Alright, here we go.” The Salamander whooped, gripping onto the window frame and propelling himself out. He landed nimbly on the nearest roof, watching for a few seconds, as the last rays of the sun disappeared behind the pink horizon before him. He was all fired up.</p><p> </p><p>The moon had risen and lit up the dark sky, when Natsu reached his destination: an old train station, long out of use -because who in their right mind would voluntarily come to Crocus?</p><p>With the full moon out, it felt too bright to him, but he wouldn’t wait another night to try and catch these guys. And with the light from the moon, Natsu could better make out the shape of the train station.</p><p>The building used to be beautiful, with its tall, stone structure and pillars on the sides. But parts of the wall had caved in from neglect, the pillars were smeared with graffiti (and not very good one). Natsu perched on the nearest roof and could see that even the ceiling of the once majestic station had collapsed in the middle, leaving the neatly tiled floor beneath shattered.</p><p>This place was most likely a usual hang-out for druggies, thieves or just bored non-assassin-teenagers, but everything was silent. Natsu took that as a good sign. It meant a bigger fish had driven them all away. Or they were scared off by the gloomy atmosphere the space emitted.</p><p>The pink haired assassin lay perfectly still...for as long as his hyper personality let him.</p><p>Twelve minutes; a new record.</p><p>“All right Happy.” He gently lifted his blue companion out of his bag and set him down onto the roof. “I’m gonna go check this place out. Maybe they’re hiding somewhere inside.”</p><p>Happy gave him a quiet meow, looking at his friend with worried cat-eyes.</p><p>“I’ll be fine. You just be on look-out, OK?”</p><p>He heard his cat’s unique confirmation of <em>me-aye-w</em> and petted him goodbye, before silently climbing down the house’s wall, careful to stay in the shadows.</p><p>Natsu stayed crouched there for a few heartbeats. Everything was deadly silent. It was possible that the two thugs weren’t here yet. Hell, it was possible that they wouldn’t show up at all. But if they did, wouldn’t it be smarter to ambush them from the inside of the building, so they didn’t have an opportunity to escape?</p><p>With that plan in mind, Natsu set out towards the abandoned building, keeping his body low and his eyes open. He entered the building through one of the many broken windows, landing soundlessly between heaps of shards and debris. The ground floor he was on, was almost completely taken up by the piles upon piles of ceilings that had fallen down from every floor above. He could see the sky from his position. Only a little floor, along the sides of the walls remained on the levels above. Otherwise there was just a gaping hole in the middle.</p><p>Despite his immediate worries that the whole thing might collapse right that minute, Natsu stayed in his spot and waited.</p><p>Everything stayed quiet, but there! Illuminated by the full moon in the background, a figure had just darted across one of the broken windows on the floor above him.</p><p>So the old man Crux hadn’t been misled. There was something happening in this location. Natsu grinned to himself and silently shrugged off his backpack, depositing it by the remnants of a flight of stairs beside him.</p><p>He adjusted the grip on his staff, impatience bubbling in his gut, as he waited for the shadow to show itself again.</p><p>Instead, he heard the smallest noise of stone moving. Before he could move from his somewhat crammed space between the window and staircase, a loose piece of the wall, about the size of a fist, was thrown onto his head. Hard.</p><p>Natsu cursed, rolling under the partly collapsed staircase, away from his hiding spot. And right to the massive pile of rubble, in full light of the moon.</p><p>Now he cursed himself, taking a defensive stance and searching the upper level for any sign of life.</p><p>He had quite good vision at night, and yet only managed to catch a quick glimpse of a black figure rushing around the little path there was.</p><p>“Where is your partner?” A feminine voice called out.</p><p>That startled the assassin for a second. How did they know this job was meant for two people? Was the site compromised?</p><p>“I repeat...” A light thud across the room on his side.</p><p>The silhouette of a young woman appeared from the darkness. She had her hood pulled up, the shadow covering the top half of her face. She wore a long-sleeved, black jacket with leggings and light combat sneakers of the same colour. But what Natsu was watching most wearily were the hilts of knives he spotted on her figure, along with a long whip curled at her side, a metal tip gleaming in the moonlight.</p><p>“...where is your partner?”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>It was Lucy’s second night on the stake-out, watching the old train station like a hawk. There had been nothing yesterday, and she’d feared another wasted night until a flash of white had caught her eye.</p><p>Finally. Grandpa Crux’s information and Virgo’s research hadn’t been wrong. Something was definitely going on.</p><p>The figure had made its way to one of the broken windows, so Lucy had scaled the outer wall, watching the proceedings from the first floor...or what was left of the first floor.</p><p>The blonde assassin had little time to mourn the decay of such an impressive feat of architecture, seeing the figure crouching beneath a window. As fast and as silently as she could, Lucy darted to the other side, around the gaping hole in the center, until she stood right above her target.</p><p>Where was the other one? The request had specifically stated two.</p><p>And who was stupid enough to wear a -what she could now see was a- white scarf when trying to remain undetected in the night?!</p><p>She had to lure him out of his ‘hiding’-spot somehow, and the easiest option lay plentiful around her combat shoes. The stone hit home, not too impressive, seeing that she had a perfect view of the head thanks to the white scarf.</p><p>A male voice cursed and the figure stumbled right into the moonlight. Just as planned.</p><p>She saw a spiky, pink head of hair scan the surroundings. He wore a black vest which revealed well-toned, muscular arms. A belt surrounded the top of his wide trousers, stocked with -what Lucy could only assume- were explosives. Large combat boots stood in a ready position, whilst finger-less gloves held a long bo-staff out in defense.</p><p>Lucy hadn’t expected someone so young to have been involved with a guild such as Eisenwald. He couldn’t be much older than her, so how...</p><p>Lucy shook her head. There was no time for personal questions. She had a job to do.</p><p>“Where is your partner?” She asked loudly, watching his reaction from above. For a split second, the guy tensed.</p><p>Hadn’t he expected that she knew about the other member of the dark guild? At least she now knew that she had the right assassin. That still didn’t give her the answer to her question though.</p><p>“I repeat...” Lucy dropped from the unsecure pathway that once was the first floor, stepping out of the shadows across the room from him. She was meant to bring him in alive and she could only do that from close distance.</p><p>“...where is your partner?”</p><p>She could see him sizing her up. She definitely wasn’t revealing as much as him, wearing her usual night-time-gear. What he was focusing on were her weapons: her whip and the four visibly, identifiable hilts of her knives.</p><p>In total, 7 of her knives were visible; 4 of them recognizable, 1 hidden and 2 disguised. The other 4 were tucked away under her clothes, not even a bulk showing under her hoodie or boot. Plus her whip, ready in her hand.</p><p>“I could ask you the same thing.” He called over.</p><p>What was he talking about? She herself didn’t have a partner and the request said one or more people, so why was he expecting a team to show up? Did dark guilds just assume everyone had found their partner?</p><p>“Don’t worry, pinkie. It’s just me.” Lucy tried to play over her confusion with some Loke-like confidence. “I was expecting two of you though.”</p><p>“Nah, there’s only one of me.” He gave her a lop-sided grin, which startled her with its...she couldn’t quite explain it...does adorableness count?</p><p>Her mind quickly jumped back to the important matters at hand, as his hand slowly moved towards his belt. To the -what she assumed were- grenades.</p><p>Lucy really wasn’t in the mood to let her target escape after a smoke-bomb and surely no one would be stupid enough to light an actual explosive in such a fragile building. Although the guy was wearing a white scarf on a secret meeting with his evil partner, so...</p><p>Before he could either make his escape or drop the rest of the train station on them, Lucy let her whip snap forward. Instead of wrapping around the pinkette’s arm though, the metal tip only made a scratch in the hastily thrown up staff.</p><p>So he had very fast reaction. Good to know.</p><p>But with that move, the fight had officially commenced. Lucy let her whip curl back around her feet, just as her opponent smiled eagerly.</p><p>“I’ve been waiting a while for this.” He said, readjusted his grip on the staff and charged at her.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Anyone catch the indirect mention of Fairy Tail?<br/>Btw, the actual FT guild won't make an appearance for quite a while; this is a heavily Natsu-and-Lucy oriented story. Just in case anyone was hoping for some Gray/Erza/etc. shenanigans...sorry.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. The Eisenwald Assassins</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Natsu had been grumpy about missing out on the fire-fight with that Bora and about the rejected offer to spar with a Celestial, but the ensuing fight made up for all of it.</p><p>She was fast, impossibly fast; the tip of that snapping whip coming a little too close to him for comfort.</p><p>Natsu charged at her, not going to bother with the planned smoke-attack, but the hooded figure met him half-way.</p><p>In one fluid motion, she curled the whip around her upper waist and in the same jump, pulled out a long, thin dagger with a thick, golden hilt.</p><p>Blade and wooden staff met with a loud clank next to the mountain of rubble.</p><p>Natsu was stronger, managing to push her back just a little with the force behind his charge, but his target wouldn’t be thrown off so easily. She jumped right back, but with a flick of her wrist and another dagger appeared from the hidden sheath beneath her right sleeve. And just like that, she had him on the defensive.</p><p>He had to basically twirl his staff out in front of him to keep up with the furious slices of her daggers. She was pushing him back, her blades just thin streaks of silver and gold in the moonlight.</p><p>When she managed to lightly cut across his fingers holding his weapon, Natsu realized two things; one, maybe the I.P. hadn’t been completely wrong with needing two members for this job –he wasn’t sure how well he’d be faring, if the other Eisenwald assassin had shown up too. Second, he really needed to change the course of the fight.</p><p>She had the upper hand, but Natsu was intend to...even it out a little. He simply had to repeat the reason why the fight had started in the first place.</p><p>Whilst blocking her speedy strikes, aware of the deteriorating state of his staff, Natsu watched her carefully for an opening.</p><p>All he had to do was hold out for that one moment, before she had him cornered against the wall-there! She moved to strike at his side, aiming at his dominant hand.</p><p>He kept hold of his bo-staff with his right, reaching for his belt with the left. Just as before, the movement caught her eye –he assumed, since he still couldn’t see much under her hood- but she started to move towards his other side. (Did this woman really think he was going to bring the roof down on them? He wasn’t completely idiotic. And he had to bring her in alive after all.)</p><p>Natsu watched the position of her feet, as she shifted her weight to stop his hand reaching the grenade. She had to move her body out of the graceful routine she’d been using, in an attempt to disarm (or disembowel, Natsu wasn’t sure) him, putting her off balance for just a moment.</p><p>But the pink haired assassin saw her footing widen and used that brief window to kick out hard, slamming his heavy boot into her open lower leg, throwing her completely off balance. At the same time, Natsu finally made an offensive move by twisting his staff so that it hit his opponents left wrist, the one with the long, thing dagger.</p><p>The blow made her fingers twitch, the handle slipping from her grasp as she fell back from the kick.</p><p>Natsu caught the golden knife mid-air, whilst his target recovered quickly, using the falling momentum to flip backwards, a safer distance away from him, still holding the other dagger in her right hand.</p><p>During the stunt, her hood had fallen back, revealing golden hair that shone similar to the knife in Natsu’s hand under the light of the stars.</p><p>She was much younger than Natsu had assumed, maybe his age or a year younger. How could someone in their teens have been involved with Eisenwald? Maybe she grew up there...</p><p>Natsu had to focus! Dangerous enemy still in front of him, glaring threateningly with chocolate brown eyes, at the dagger that now rested in his bleeding hand.</p><p>“This is pretty.” He dared a quick examination of the blade. It was good quality; the blade sharp and well balanced. It was long and thin and somehow reminded him of a very lethal knitting needle. Someone had carefully carved a flourished ‘V’ into the round, gold-plated handle. Or was it a weird ‘T’?  </p><p>That was apparently the exact <em>wrong</em> thing to say. Those pretty, warm eyes fixed him with a deadly stare that reminded Natsu of a certain red-head he’d met years and years ago.</p><p>There were five more knives he could see; the one in her hand; one strapped to her thigh (with a handle that looked like a pair of scissors –what was that about?); a large, double-sided blade -that looked more like the head of an axe- on her back; an old-fashioned, round guard (like a sword’s?!) was visible on one side of her belt and Natsu was sure he’d seen another hilt in a hidden compartment in the back of her belt, during her flip.</p><p>And those were just the ones he could see!</p><p>Given the fact that she’d already pulled one knife from her sleeve, he had no doubt she had more stashed away somewhere.</p><p>“You’re not keeping it!” She glowered, crouching into a ready-to-spring-position.</p><p>Natsu tucked the knife into his belt, both hands on his weapon again. He watched her muscles tense, seconds before she would jump at him again.</p><p>Not wanting a repeat of the last round, Natsu also played the surprise card.</p><p>As the blonde girl came running at him again, switching the dagger to her left hand and reaching for the hilt that looked like a sword’s, Natsu put his plan in motion. Before she could reach him, he swiped the ends of both sides of his staff along the stone floor with one quick movement. The matchstick fabric threw sparks at the friction, lighting the tightly wrapped cloth on either end on fire. Natsu didn’t stop moving, spinning the now blazing weapon around; more for show than anything else.</p><p>But it had the desired effect. Her eyes widened for a moment, her momentum slowing down just a little, but not in fear like most others who saw the swirling circle of destruction. Her gaze was fixed on the display of red and orange, the fire letting the shadows from the destroyed building dance across whatever wall was left. She watched from her jump in mid-air, mesmerized.</p><p>Stupidly, his trick worked two ways. Natsu loved fire, but his own attack wasn’t the reason he too stared transfixed for a split second; for that one moment, where time seemed to have forgotten its job and stopped, his dark onyx eyes saw into hers. The reflection of his fire made the brown colour light up like a fire place and the general curiosity and intrigue in them startled him.</p><p>She was from a dark guild, even considered ‘illegal’ by people who quite literally made their living through assassination. Those guilds were filled with greedy, spiteful and psychotic individuals. So then why couldn’t he see her as one of those people at all?</p><p>She snapped out of her flame induced stupor, pulling the weird hilt from the left side of her belt. It really looked like an old fashioned rapier, but the blade was only –maybe, something like- 20cm long. And thin and very, very pointy.</p><p>They met on the side of the rubble pile again. Just this time, it was more balanced. The flames had Natsu’s opponent ducking and blocking more, keeping away from its heat, as well as limited the areas where she could strike.</p><p>However, saying that Natsu had her on the defensive now, would be a lie. He still had to move out of the way of her speedy strikes, although he could then parry with his staff. Her choice of weapons had been perfect; the classic dagger in her left was used to attempt to break through his defense (but this time he made sure to keep his hands safe) and the weird tiny sword one, was her defense. The round guard kept her hand safe from the flames, at least during the short blows they exchanged.</p><p>At one point, the blonde jumped onto the pile of rocks and tiles in the middle of the ground floor, in order to dodge a swing from the lit up side of his weapon. And the pinkette had followed.</p><p>It was a complicated dance, jumping around the debris, careful not to set in motion an avalanche of rocks, whilst also dodging the other’s attacks. Natsu was glad that his fire provided some more illumination than the moon above, so that he could see the unstable slabs of stone more easily.</p><p>The girl never stopped moving, jumping about with precision, then came to attack, before getting out of reach just a second later.</p><p>It was frustrating. He was obviously heavier than the Eisenwald assassin, so Natsu couldn’t follow onto the more fragile pieces of the used-to-be ceiling. And she knew that, using the height to her advantage to try and push him further back. But Natsu was still curious about her. And a little small talk never killed anyone. Right? Right?!</p><p>“So...where’s the rest of your guild?” He asked casually after she had just flipped back onto a larger piece of the (he assumed) second floor. He caught the glimmer of a golden emblem, almost fully hidden beneath the sleeve of her hoodie.</p><p>He was interested, but he could also use a quick breather. Thanks to the stupid mini-sword, he now sported another cut on his upper arm and –due to a rather un-ninja-like tumble down the rubble- a pounding headache.</p><p>“My guild is none of your business!” She said darkly, tucking the sword away and reaching for another blade. “However I am interested in yours.”</p><p>What? Why?</p><p>“My guild is long gone.” He said earnestly, not wanting to let the emotions behind those words show. Maybe if he opened up a little, she’d return the favor, which may lead to a possible cooperation on her part.</p><p>“We both know that’s a lie.” She moved about like a cat, another knife catching the dimming light of his fire in her hand.</p><p>Natsu could see that she was tiring too, her breaths ringing heavier through the empty building and the black fabric on her left shoulder had burned away, leaving what had to be an uncomfortable injury. But at the moment, he was just confused.</p><p>“Your guild was disbanded.” She continued, keeping her pretty eyes on him as she moved slowly around her higher ground. “But that means your nakama are still roaming around, just like you. And your partner.”</p><p>
  <em>Huh?!</em>
</p><p>Even if she had somehow done research on him, she was completely wrong! Was she expecting another assassin to show up?</p><p>“No it wasn’t!” He answered incredulously. Who the hell was this Eisenwald member confusing him with? Herself?! “Yours was!”</p><p>“My guild is intact and legal!” She shot back, now also looking a little irritated.</p><p>“Right, I’m sure that’s what every loyal member has to say.” He rolled his eyes, but tried a more approachable...approach. “If you just tell the I.P. where your partner and the rest of your nakama are, I’m sure they’ll-”</p><p>The blonde looked at him like he’d just gotten out ballet slippers with a matching tutu and gave his best impression of swan-lake, right there on the rubble!</p><p>“You want <em>me</em> to go to the I.P. ... why...?” She trailed off, still looking at him like he was the crazy illegal guild member here. “Who are you?”</p><p>Aha, the small talk approach worked!</p><p>“I’m Natsu Dragneel of the Dragons.”</p><p>Her jaw dropped. Knifes forgotten, as well as the next planned attack.</p><p>Natsu thought the reaction was due to his guild’s name or maybe she’d heard of him...</p><p>“That doesn’t make sense.” She muttered.</p><p>Not what he was expecting.</p><p>“Huh?”</p><p>“If you’re who you say you are...”</p><p>Natsu held up the remaining embers of his fire to his left shoulder. The dark red ink was now fully visible; three dragon heads chasing each other in a circle.</p><p>“But why...the request...Eisenwald...” The blonde kept muttering to herself.</p><p>Maybe she was crazy? Natsu had no idea, but her sudden attitude change puzzled him. They were still enemies, and yet she was letting her guard down and mumbling nonsensically to herself.</p><p>“...plus one member...plus one...PLUS!” She suddenly shouted, slapping her face with a free hand. “I’m so stupid.”</p><p>Possibly crazy.</p><p>“Uhm...so are you willing to come to the I.P. with me...?” Natsu asked carefully, not quite sure what to expect from her now.</p><p>“Why? We haven’t found the Eisenwald members yet.”</p><p>Definitely crazy.</p><p>He was about to argue that the member was standing right in front of him, when someone else beat him to the punch.</p><p>“My, my. What do we have here?” A voice to his left said.</p><p>Natsu’s head snapped to the noise, still keeping his staff up, just in case the crazy blonde was going to attack again. Was this her partner? Great. Just then he heard the familiar <em>me-aye-w</em> from one of the upper window sills. Happy was giving him the signal.</p><p>A few seconds too late buddy, but thanks anyway.</p><p>He should really trust his cat more.</p><p>“A little party in our place, it seems.” Another voice rung through the building, this time from the other side.</p><p>Wait, three?! The mission had been for two!</p><p>Following the first voice, a man stepped out of the shadows, with a long white coat and a short, black ponytail, smirking at the two on the pile of concrete above him.</p><p>From the other side, another man, this one very tall and with silver hair, had a peculiar fashion sense; a long, worn skirt hung almost to the ground, no shirt, but a black cloak that revealed the blue tattoos on his torso, walked into the room. The massive scythe was also hard to miss.</p><p>The blonde didn’t look pleased to see her nakama, staring back at each one with a hard glare; similar to the one she’d given Natsu when he took her dagger.  </p><p>“So you’re the Eisenwald assassins.” She said loudly, placing her knives back in their respective places and readied her whip.</p><p>Natsu felt like he’d stepped into the wrong movie. What the heck was going on here?</p><p>“Correct. And that would make you...?” The black haired man smiled condescendingly up at her.</p><p>“My name is Lucy of the Celestials and I’m here to bring you in.” She pulled up her left sleeve, revealing the gleaming emblem on her hand.</p><p>Natsu’s eyes doubled in size. There, in the full moon light, for everyone to see, was the ten pointed star with the key in the center. Holy crap!</p><p>“Wait, wha...you’re not the Eisenwald member?!” He stared at her, completely ignoring the two men surrounding them.</p><p>She quickly shook her head no, not letting her attention slip from their new opponents.</p><p>He wanted to ask more questions, like <em>why hadn’t she said anything before</em>?!</p><p>But before he could voice any of these, the silver haired man spoke:</p><p>“Enough of this!” He hadn’t smiled like his nakama, instead having a constant mask of distaste on his face. “Since you are after our guild, we will have to destroy you.” He moved his scythe to point at Lucy. “It appears, Kageyama, that you will get the fight you were so after.”</p><p>Ponytail cackled, bringing out two thick, black ropes...whips? “Finally.” His eyes were fixed on Natsu, who eventually managed to tear his astound gaze away from the not-Eisenwald-assassin, and faced his new opponent. The real one this time.</p><p>“I’m all fired up now.” He replied, giving the man in the white cloak an equally eager grin.</p><p>This was probably a bad moment for the torches on his staff to finally give up and extinguish.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Aquarius couldn’t be happier. She was sitting on the couch in the living room, practically melted into Scorpio’s side, as they watched a romantic movie together. The house was quiet -an oddity all on its own- with most of their nakama being in their rooms or in the soundproof gym. Or in Cancer’s and Capricorn’s case, out on a mission.</p><p>In short, everything was perfect.</p><p>She didn’t know why she expected the peace and silence to last. And it wasn’t a surprise at all as to <em>who</em> was the destroyer of her romantic evening with her boyfriend.</p><p>“Lucy has been acting weird.” Came the voice of a certain ginger, as said man walked in from the kitchen.</p><p>Aquarius was ready to wring the life out of the overgrown kitty, but she just barely reigned her instinct in. Something she only ever managed when Scorpio was around. Luckily for Loke.    </p><p>“What do you mean?” Scorpio asked, pausing the movie.</p><p>Aquarius shot her unofficial co-leader a deadly glare that said ‘this had better be quick’.</p><p>Or ‘run while you still have legs’.</p><p>The glare could be open to interpretation.</p><p>“It’s the second night she’s gone to bed early. She missed movie night yesterday and was out all day today, looking for a new book doesn’t take that long, does it?”</p><p>“Sometimes you just have to give people their space.” Aquarius said, not entirely without a double meaning, as she glanced meaningfully at herself, Scorpio then glared at him again.</p><p>“Maybe someone should check on her.” Loke said, either ignoring or being oblivious to Aquarius’ threatening looks. Looks that had made seasoned mafia bosses cry for their mothers. But if Loke was one thing, it was brave. And stubbornly prideful and overly confident and...</p><p>“Then <em>someone</em> should!” The blue haired woman basically hissed at him.</p><p>“If you say so.” Loke grinned and rushed to the stairs.</p><p>The couple rolled their eyes, then had to laugh quietly at the lion’s antics. He was just looking for an excuse to check in on the youngest. Probably not wanting to appear like the mother hen he was. Especially after Lucy had caught him and Aries red-handed on her last mission.</p><p>Come to think of it, what was Lucy working on at the moment? She hadn’t shared much information with them...maybe Loke was right (Mavis, just thinking it felt wrong) about Lucy acting strange.</p><p>Scorpio pressed the play button and the gentle piano music continued as the love interest walked through the door on screen, catching the eye of-</p><p>“OH CRAP!”</p><p>...and the romantic atmosphere evaporated from the room as Aquarius had the urge to strangle the noisy lion.</p><p>They heard quick steps coming back down the stairs, along with the doors of their guild members opening.</p><p>“What’s going on?” Gemini’s voice asked groggily, obviously having been woken up.</p><p>“Leo, is everything alright?” Aries worried voice followed.</p><p>Taurus and Sagittarius emerged from the training room in the basement, barely dodging Loke as he bolted past them, back to the two lovers in the living room.</p><p>Scorpio pressed a reassuring kiss on Aquarius’ temple and paused their movie again, waiting for the ginger to get to the point.</p><p>Aries was right behind him, looking scared at her partner’s actions. Taurus and Sagittarius stayed a little behind them, weary of the unfriendly look Aquarius was dealing out. Gemini brought up the rear, mumbling something about a proper work/sleep balance, as the elderly man stood there in his pajamas, leaning on his walking stick.</p><p>“Remember how you said we trained her <em>too</em> well?” Loke asked the blunette, panting a little.</p><p>“Yes.” Aquarius tried to put as much menace in her tone as per usual, but she was getting concerned now. “Where is Lucy?”</p><p>Loke held up a note clutched in his hand. Everyone leaned in closer to squint at the neat writing they knew so well.</p><p>
  <em>Btw. I have my mission tonight.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don’t wait up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Lucy &lt;3</em>
</p><p>Aquarius cursed. Clever little brat.</p><p>“So what?” She tried with her usual, calm and collective voice. “This isn’t her first mission.”</p><p>“But none of us are there!” Loke argued. “What if something happens or it’s a trap from the knights or...”</p><p>“Loke, calm down!” Scorpio said sternly. “You’re upsetting Aries.”</p><p>That always did the trick. The lion quickly went from hyperventilating to calming down his pink haired partner who was also working herself up in panic.</p><p>“Lucy will be fine! She’s probably tired of you sneaking after her.” She added with a stern look at the assembled assassins.</p><p>She’d never admit it, but she was secretly glad that someone was always looking out for the blonde. The teen was all she had left from her long gone childhood friend, after all.</p><p>Although Aquarius was forever scoffing at the mention that Lucy might be in trouble, she still waited up all night until she knew her youngest nakama was safe and sound. And it wasn’t even worth mentioning that, if someone should injure Lucy, she would’ve found a new target for her trident.</p><p>Usually it was Capricorn who would calm down the nerves of everyone, when Lucy pulled something like this (this was far from the first time she’d snuck out). His calm and collected manner, backed up by facts and data, never failed to de-panic their hectic guild members. But the wise man with the white goatee was out with Cancer, another voice of reason.</p><p>So, tonight it would be her job to make sure the six of them wouldn’t comb through the city, looking for Lucy. She was very sure the blonde wouldn’t appreciate it.  </p><p>Speaking of six, Virgo appeared –as she usually did, out of nowhere-, making Taurus jump in the process.</p><p>“Ah yes. Princess did start her mission last night.”</p><p>“Wait you knew?!” Gemini turned to his partner, sleep deprivation forgotten.</p><p>“Of cause. I helped her research.”</p><p>This was no surprise. Virgo had a cunning talent for maps and plans. She knew the layout of the entire city off by heart and with her practical brain, she always had a clue to narrow down a search.</p><p>“Why didn’t you say anything?” Loke asked exasperated.</p><p>“Princess asked me to keep it a secret.” Virgo answered emotionlessly, like that explained everything.</p><p>“Well, whooooo or what was she loooooking for?” Taurus leaned down to be on the pinkette’s level.</p><p>“It’s still a secret.”</p><p>Loke groaned in frustration. They all knew Virgo well enough to know she wouldn’t give up any information if she was sworn to secrecy, especially from Lucy.</p><p>The woman in the maid outfit didn’t show her emotions. Ever. And she was, just like Capricorn, sure that Lucy would be alright. She only went to spy on their eleventh member because Gemini went. And she would follow her partner into the underworld, if she had to. But due to her stoic facial expression, no one was sure if she was worried or not.</p><p>“Look, Lucy is smart.” Aquarius voice made everyone look to the sofa again. “She wouldn’t have gotten over her head, and she can always call us if she needs help. Scorpio and I will stay up, just in case.”</p><p>There was a mumble of disgruntled agreement, Gemini heading back to his room with slurping steps. Aquarius was sure that Loke wouldn’t sleep, but he too went upstairs. The Taurus-and-Sagittarius-team went back to the gym, most likely tearing apart their training equipment. Virgo just disappeared again. No one knew if that woman ever slept. She was always dressed and never showed signs of tiredness, much unlike her older partner.</p><p>Scorpio placed an arm over her shoulder as they snuggled back into the couch.</p><p>“Don’t worry, she’ll be alright.” He whispered.</p><p>“I’m not worried.”</p><p>He raised a red eyebrow at her.</p><p>Right, she’d forgotten that he knew her better than she did herself. So, she didn’t say anything more and just hugged her partner as the movie continued.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I did so much research and notes on weapons, explosives and the likes, I'm probably on some sort of government watch-list. And I haven't even introduced ALL of Lucy's knives yet!<br/>Anyway, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or an Agreeable Assemblage of Moments (if you want to be extra politically correct).<br/>PS: Anyone catch the Erza hint?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Switcheroo</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucy had wanted a more exciting mission.</p><p>Ask and you shall receive.</p><p>That she would first waste energy on fighting the wrong assassin hadn’t exactly been part of her plan. And was hopefully something her nakama would never find out about. Oh, they wouldn’t let her live it down. Ever.</p><p>She also couldn’t believe how stupid she’d been in regards to the poster. Plus one person. Not one person plus. They were asking for one <em>more</em> assassin. It meant that someone had already taken it. But, as it had turned out, that someone had no clue he was to expect help. The request really should’ve specified on this part.</p><p>At least now she was no longer confused about the assassins’ appearances. Lucy could definitely believe that those two were from a dark guild. The one with the black hair was grinning menacingly at her...job partner (apparently), but not in the way the pinkette had smiled at her before their fight; it had been part warning, but also partly innocent excitement at the prospect of a good match. She’d felt the same way, but hid such emotions beneath a mask she’d modelled after Virgo’s unique (and only) expression.</p><p>This guy however, he just looked eager to tear someone apart limb from limb, no want to learn from his opponents or improve his own skill. Just pure bloodlust.</p><p>Scythe-guy wasn’t much better. He was eying her like a vermin that had crept out of the gutters. Not like he was a looker himself!</p><p> </p><p>There was a moment of silence after Natsu’s fire went out, the room only illuminated by the moon and stars once again.</p><p>The famous calm before the storm stretched on. Lucy held her whip tightly, waiting for the silver haired man to make the first move. From the corner of her eye, she could see the fire-happy pinkette adjusting his grip on the staff, facing the man in the white coat. They had the tactical high ground, an advantage for any form of combat. And at least now she knew who she was supposed to fight. Yet, she still felt a little uneasy about this.</p><p>The –real- Eisenwald assassins could’ve just left after seeing them fighting in their hide-out. Making all her effort in finding her targets wasted, but it would’ve been the smart thing for them to do. So why hadn’t they left? Lucy and Natsu wouldn’t have heard them, too busy in their own battle, so why did they risk it?</p><p>Perhaps, tonight of all nights had been a bad time to sneak out, only leaving a note on her desk.</p><p>Well, she could still send out the emergency signal, causing every electronic device in her home to flash her emblem and location, along with a small siren going off in the living room. But tonight was Aquarius-and-Scorpio-movie-night and Lucy still wanted to live. Hopefully, she wouldn’t have to rely on the emergency flare around her neck-</p><p>Her last-hope-plans were disrupted by a sudden battle cry coming from the silver-head.</p><p>He was flying at her, that massive scythe swinging around him, seemingly disregarding any common knowledge about physics, as he used an unsteady slab of stone as a platform to propel himself at the blonde assassin.</p><p>By the time the rock tumbled down the pile and shattered into smaller pieces on the ground below, Lucy had already let the metal tip of her whip fly at the illegal assassin. He easily swiped it away with his large weapon, not letting gravity stop him in his way up the rubble, sending more debris rolling down the pile with each large jump.</p><p>She could vaguely sense the other one charging as well. Natsu would have to handle that one, because the silver-head might prove a challenge. Compared to Bora, anyway.</p><p>Lucy focused, disregarding any distractions around them. Through her tunnel-vision, it was only her, her opponent and her most immediate surroundings; prior injuries forgotten.</p><p>She stood on top of the pile, her whip curling back into her waiting hands. Her enemy was so close, she could see the rage in his cold eyes, the way his blue tattoos shimmered in the dim light and the tatters of his skirt flying behind him. He swung the scythe, the sharp, metal blade coming down at her. Exactly what she had expected from him.</p><p>The blade struck deep into the boulders of the collapsed ceiling, where Lucy had stood just a split second earlier. The blonde assassin flipped backwards, sending her whip at the momentarily exposed Eisenwald assassin, who was trying to dislodge his weapon from the stone. It scraped across his shirtless collarbone, right above his heart. She wasn’t meant to kill him, after all.</p><p>Lucy didn’t give him a chance to retaliate. Using a large piece of –maybe- the second floor, she launched herself back to her original position; the remainder of the first floor, from where she’d thrown a rock at Natsu and started the evening’s escapades. The partial tiles that poked out of the wall gave a path no bigger than one or two feet. And he needed to swing that scythe to get momentum.</p><p>Let’s see him do that up here!</p><p>Her opponent didn’t seem to think anything of the narrow space, following in her footsteps, causing more of the pile of rocks to shift downwards.</p><p>“You can run, but you cannot hide from the Death God!” Lucy’s attacker bellowed, hacking downwards with his weapon. He didn’t have the same range anymore, due to the wall blocking one side, but the Celestial still couldn’t get close enough to work with her knives.</p><p>“The ‘Death God’? Seriously?” She asked, jumping back from a swing that made the little ground under their feet shake and caused layers of dust to fall down onto their fighting counterparts. “Did you get stuck in a Halloween costume or are lame code names a requirement for Eisenwald?”</p><p>“Silence!” The <em>Death God</em> roared, too distracted by his outrage to notice the gash made by Lucy’s whip on his forearm. “You are not worthy to talk about a guild as magnificent as Eisenwald!”</p><p>And bingo. Sore spot detected.</p><p>“Magnificent?! It can’t be that great. I mean you were stopped by a single guild from...was it Magnolia?” Lucy said innocently, watching as his strikes grew less calculated.</p><p>He yelled with anger, the shout radiating throughout the building and up into the night sky.</p><p>Easily dodging his attacks and moving further around the edge of the first floor, Lucy dared a quick glance down, feeling a pair of eyes on her. Her job partner was watching the two of them, his opponent moving to collect himself. He raised one pink eyebrow at her in question. And Lucy understood his plan. She gave the barest motion of a nod.</p><p>Whilst the self-proclaimed Death God rambled on about the superiority of his guild, swinging wildly at her, Lucy kept one eye on the other man’s way of fighting. What did the silver-head call him...Kageyama? He used the ropes similar to her whip; bringing them snapping forwards with much more force onto Natsu’s bo-staff. The pinkette was also watching her fight; his eyes scanning the way ‘Death God’ held his weapon, how he swung it, his footwork; much like he’d done just before he’d thrown her off balance.</p><p>Only paying some attention to a murder-happy, illegal guild member, had its downsides, however. Lucy barely flipped out of the way of the scythe, while she payed closer attention to the Kageyama-fellow. He kept her temporary job partner at a distance, bringing the heavy whips crashing down over and over again. Natsu proved to be much more agile than she’d assumed at first; flipping and twisting out of the way. But he too slipped up, due to the split attention.</p><p>Kageyama seemingly noticed the distraction in his opponent. Lucy watched as he swung one whip low, making the other snap in the air, coming down hard. Natsu managed to jump over the first, but the high one was too fast. Once again, he flung up his staff protectively over his head. The snap echoed along the walls as Natsu was thrown back by the force of the attack, the splintered pieces of his staff still in his hands.</p><p>He was forced back by the blow, skidding backwards along the broken tiles, barely managing to use the momentum to jump back onto his feet.</p><p>“Well, it lasted longer than I expected.” He said with his easy smile as he tossed the two parts to the side, not bothered by the fact that he was now short a weapon.</p><p>“Hey Luigi, are ya ready-LOOK OUT!” Lucy’s head snapped back to her opponent, whose existence she’d briefly forgotten.</p><p>Pure instinct had her jumping back. The scythe missed its original goal of slicing her into two, but still managed to snag a cut into her thigh.</p><p>What was happening tonight? She was usually much more focused and professional on her jobs.</p><p>Ignoring the pain, or the warm, thick liquid she could feel running down her leg, Lucy reacted to Natsu’s prompt.</p><p>“Ready Pinkie?” She called down to him.</p><p>“As I’ll ever be, Luigi.”</p><p>To the evident confusion, surprise and annoyance of the Eisenwald member, Lucy let herself drop from the first floor, back onto the ground beside the huge rubble pile. Natsu was by her side as she landed, barely suppressing a small hiss as her injured leg hit the floor.</p><p>“You alright, Luigi?”</p><p>“It’s Luc-” Her correction was cut off as ‘Death God’ came barreling towards them from above and both of the legal assassins had to jump back.</p><p>“My bad Luce.” He said while they recovered in the space where their weapons had first clashed.</p><p>Kageyama was on one end of the room, and the scythe-swinging-psychopath on the other, with them in the middle like trapped prey.</p><p>“It’s Lucy.” But she didn’t really care anymore, glaring back at her silver haired foe.</p><p>“Make up your mind, will ya?”</p><p>“How cute.” The smug Eisenwald assassin sneered at them. “They’re doing back-to-back.”</p><p>“Like that will help them now.” ‘Death God’ said darkly, adjusting his grip.</p><p>“Well, you shouldn’t count us out just yet.” Natsu proclaimed confidently from behind Lucy.</p><p>His black-haired opponent huffed haughtily. “In case you haven’t noticed, you coral-topped-moron, you don’t have a weapon and your pretty, little friend is hurt.”</p><p>Little?! She was the eighth biggest person in her guild, thank you very much. Or the forth smallest, but she preferred to think about it the other way around.</p><p>“Don’t worry about me.” Natsu continued good-naturedly. “You should worry about her.”</p><p>With that he suddenly had a firm grip on her wrists, and before Lucy could say as much as ‘what?’ he was swinging her around, like a carousel on steroids.</p><p>The Celestial was sure she let out a very unprofessional squeal somewhere along the way.</p><p>Before he let her go, she felt something cold and metallic being shoved into her hand. And with a “go get ‘im, Starlight” he released his grip on her wrists just as suddenly as he’d grabbed them before.</p><p>Three people in the old train station where perplexed by this sudden change, including Lucy, who was now flying. Not towards <em>The Death God</em>, though. But towards Kageyama. That had been their plan when they’d exchanged that quick glance. A switcheroo.</p><p>Being flung across the room in the process had been news to her though. But she understood her job-partner’s actions. He knew she was hurt. So he gave her the momentum and the surprise-attack she needed to give her an advantage. Lucy gave a small smile as she glanced at her hand. Aries-the-knife was lying there, securely in her grasp.</p><p>Not bad, Pinkie. Not bad at all- wait! Had he just called her Starlight?!</p><p>She stared straight ahead, into the surprised face of the ponytail-guy. He had no time to send his whips/ropes at her, only able to jump back from her first slash with Aries.</p><p>He had been focusing on Natsu, but both of the ‘legal’ assassins had been watching the other’s opponent. Lucy knew how her new foe moved and how he held his weapons.</p><p>That’s why it came to no surprise to her when the Eisenwald assassin managed to swing one of his black ropes low, in an attempt to entangle her legs, to stop her movements.</p><p>But the youngest Celestial saw it coming, using her momentum and a little twist to side flip over his attack. Still in the air, she tucked Aries safely back into her belt, and heaved the knife Taurus had gifted her, off her back.</p><p>Maybe ‘knife’ wasn’t the right term. It was basically a double-sided axe head, with her hand and arm acting as the handle. And by far her heaviest weapon.</p><p>With the assistance of gravity, her own falling force and the weight of the weapon in her hand, Lucy brought the axe crashing down onto the ground, before she’d even landed herself.</p><p>The sharp blade chipped the tile on the floor on impact. And cut right through the rope/whip that had meant to stop her.</p><p>Kageyama was not ready for that. The backlash of his weapon suddenly being shortened had him stumbling back. Lucy allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction, seeing the smug expression wiped of the illegal assassin’s face, as she landed smoothly back on the cracked tiles.</p><p>But the blonde teenager didn’t give him time to recover. She darted forward, leaving Taurus stuck in the ground for the time being.</p><p>The Eisenwald assassin knew he had a problem as Lucy pulled the dagger that had been Loke’s gift to her years ago, back out of her right sleeve. Kageyama used the intact rope he had left as a shield, blocking her speedy attacks, just as Natsu had before they’d figured out their little identity mix-ups.</p><p>However, Lucy wasn’t planning on wearing him down. She didn’t fool herself about her abilities. She knew she was getting tired, she knew she was losing blood and wouldn’t be able to keep up this pace for much longer.</p><p>But she was close to him now. That’s all she’d wanted to accomplish.</p><p>In a sudden aversion to her routine of spinning and striking, Lucy flipped the dagger by the thick hilt, so that the blade was now pointed at her.</p><p>Before her enemy could fully understand the motion, or think of a way to use it against her, Lucy pressed onto the little button right under the golden cross guard of the dagger.</p><p>To her secret joy and to anyone else’s anguish (in this case the black-haired assassin trying to end her life) the pommel of Loke’s dagger revealed its true purpose.</p><p>200 watts worth of battery powered, electrical light shot out into the darkness from the concealed torch in the hilt. Curtesy of Loke and his obsession with spotlights.</p><p>And it was aimed right at Kageyama’s face. The man yowled at the furiously bright spot of light that shone in his eyes, which had gotten used to seeing in the dark ever since he and his partner had entered the building.</p><p>From some not so well planned out experimentation of her own, Lucy knew from experience that all he’d be able to see for the next couple of minutes would be white and black spots dancing across his field of vision.</p><p>In short, her target was out of the fight.</p><p>Her bag with rope, along with other necessities for such late-night missions, hung outside of a first floor window and Lucy didn’t have the energy or the time to go and retrieve it.   </p><p>A well-aimed Lucy-kick (with her uninjured leg) to the man’s temple took care of her problem. Kageyama of the Eisenwald guild collapsed onto the floor, unconscious.</p><p>The blonde let out a long breath of relief, the adrenaline wearing off.</p><p>She turned the hidden torch off, tucking Loke-the-knife back into her right sleeve. Small flashed of light from the other end of the station drew her attention, reminding her that there was another fight going on.</p><p>Maybe she should try to help-</p><p>Was Natsu spouting fire from his hands?!</p><p>Lucy thought for a second that she too had been blinded, but no. Her pink-haired job-partner’s grinning face was illuminated briefly by quick bursts of flames that appeared to come right out of his hands. Wait, not his hands. Lucy had to squint, but she was sure the fire originated from the assassin’s gloves. Which made more sense. She was also pretty sure he had this covered.</p><p>Mavis, she felt drained all of a sudden. Stupid, still-bleeding injury. Perhaps she should do something about that.</p><p>But first things first. Lucy limped over to Taurus, pulling the axe head out of the tiles and hefting it back into the fixed strap on her back. She immediately felt better, having its reassuring weight back.</p><p>Next, she plopped down onto a large slab of rubble, pressing onto the cut with both hands. She gritted her teeth at the pain, but was more concerned when both her hands came back covered completely in red.</p><p>This could become a problem.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Natsu was having much more fun with this Grim Reaper wanna-be than that insulting Ponytail guy from earlier. The silver headed man was so easy to rile up, it was too good.</p><p>To the dark assassin’s shock, Natsu had come at him with flaming fists. Well, technically flaming gloves, but it’s the aesthetics that matter in this case.</p><p>The bad guy wasn’t bad with his weapon, Natsu had to give him that. But the younger assassin wouldn’t let himself get pushed back. He stayed close to his new mark, getting in as many burning punches as he could, whilst dodging the curved blade.</p><p>From his peripheral vision, the pinkette saw his job-partner slumping down onto the pile of debris.</p><p>She was done already?! Now he had to hurry this up.</p><p>When the scythe was lifted up high, Natsu rammed into the <em>Death God</em> full force, effectively sending them both sprawling.</p><p>Natsu held the other man down by his throat with one hand, whilst the silvernette kept him at arm’s length with the staff of his weapon. That would be called a stand-still.</p><p>“What now, you pathetic excuse of an assassin?”</p><p>OK, Natsu really had enough of the name-calling for the night. How old were these guys?</p><p>Grinning at the man beneath him, the pinkette slowly plucked a red-labelled grenade from his belt with his free hand.</p><p>The Eisenwald guy’s eyes went wide and he began to struggle, as Natsu dislodged the pin with one hand and closed his eyes.</p><p>An orange dust cloud engulfed them both with a small ‘pop’.</p><p>Natsu heard the screams from the illegal assassin as his special mix of chili-, pepper- and gunpowder found its way into his eyes.</p><p>He dropped the empty shell and put the other man out of his misery with a swift punch to the temple.</p><p>Sneezing, but happy, Natsu righted himself and walked away from his KO’ed opponent. He wiped the chili powder off his face, ruffling through his hair so it returned to its natural pink color, orange particles trailing behind him.</p><p>“Hey Luce, wanna call the I.P., or should I-”</p><p>His question was cut short as he approached the Celestial assassin who’d refused to spar with him via the website.</p><p>She looked pale beneath the moonlight that shone onto her from the hole in all the roofs. He could see beads of sweat on her forehead. But what concerned him most was the dark liquid pooling out of her leg from beneath her fingers. A trail of the dark splats led from where he’d given her a boost, to where the dark haired assassin lay unconscious, to where she sat now. Too much blood to be classed as ‘just a scratch’.</p><p>“Crap, hold on.” Natsu darted to the staircase where his trusty backpack was waiting for him. Why hadn’t he realized how bad her injury was? Because he hadn’t worked alongside a human for five years? It didn’t matter.</p><p>Rummaging for the first-aid-kit, Natsu went back to his job-partner, fishing a gauze and bandages out of the small container. He doubted plasters would do much in this situation.</p><p>“I’m just gonna try to compress the wound and stop the bleeding.”</p><p><em>Always talk to the patient.</em> Igneel’s voice came back to him. He was really glad his dad had forced him to learn first-aid.</p><p>He didn’t have the time, nor the light to clean the wound properly, so he pressed an entire roll of bandaged onto the bleeding cut.</p><p>Lucy winced, but didn’t complain. Instead a weak “thanks” was audible in the now silent building.</p><p>Natsu gave her a hopefully reassuring grin. “Don’t mention it Luce. Can’t have you bleeding out. You still owe me a spar, you know.”</p><p>He felt the cogs turning inside her brain.</p><p>“Salamander?!” She blurted, injury briefly forgotten.</p><p>“The one and only.” He replied, wrapping a separate roll over the make-shift compress.</p><p>Happy made his presence known with a small <em>meow</em>, rubbing his small head against Natsu’s kneeling form.</p><p>“Hey buddy.” He greeted him, unable to remove his hands from the wrapping process.</p><p>“You have a blue cat.” It wasn’t really a question, but a statement that came from the blonde’s blood deprived brain. “And you bring it along on a mission.”</p><p>“Of cause. Here press down on this.” Natsu grabbed his phone from the bag and called the three digit number for the I.P..</p><p>“Yeah, hello. We accepted a request for you guys...about the Eisenwald assassins... yeah, that one...listen, we’re at the old train station...I dunno, it had red bricks and like four holes in the roof. There can’t be that many with that description...how soon can you be here?...Yeah we got the two guys, why else would I be calling?...No, we won’t be waiting...got an injury on our hands...just hurry up, please?”</p><p>Natsu switched his phone off. “Alright, just keep pressing and...and hold Happy.” He pushed the blue cat into her free hand, so that her mind had something to focus on.</p><p>Rope in hand, he quickly dragged the guy Lucy had knocked out, over to his partner, who was still lying under a cover of chili powder, tying their hands together. It would be enough until the I.P. got here.</p><p>Rushing back to his injured job-partner, Natsu saw Happy nuzzling the blonde’s side, whilst the assassin was gently stroking his fur with a smile on her face.</p><p>A cat person. Always a good sign.  </p><p>“Alright you two, let’s get out of here.” He offered a gloved hand to Lucy and helped pull her up onto one leg.</p><p>The blonde with the warm eyes slung one arm over his shoulder. Instinctively, he wrapped one arm across her waist, stabilizing her as the two started walking/hopping out of the nearly destroyed building.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Don't shine flashlights into other people's (or your own) eyes, kids!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Meeting the Guild</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her leg burned at every painstakingly slow jump she made, but Lucy gritted her teeth and soldiered on through. Natsu had shown nothing but care when it came to her injury, but he really didn’t have to think she was so weak that she could no longer move on her own...and perhaps with a little support.</p><p>“How far is your guild?” The pinkette asked beside her.</p><p>“Not far.” Lucy said through clenched teeth, trying not to let the pain she felt reflect in her voice. “Royal Garden’s Street.”</p><p>It wasn’t that far off. But no exactly one quick jump away either. She really hoped she’d be able to make it that far, now that her blood was staying where it was supposed to be, thanks to the bandage.</p><p>She felt Natsu nod in confirmation, before her feet were suddenly lifted off the ground.</p><p>“Hey, what are you-” The Celestial assassin squealed.</p><p>“Carrying you, you weirdo.” Natsu, who’d picked her up princess-style, replied casually.</p><p>“I can see that.” She huffed, really hoping her blush wasn’t visible in the moon’s light, at the sudden and close proximity to her new...acquaintance. “But why?”</p><p>“Didn’t you say it yourself, Starlight?” He gave her a crooked grin whilst examining the stability of a rain gutter just above their heads. “This is Crocus. There is always someone to fight and you don’t really look up for that. Therefore; rooftops.”</p><p>He wasn’t wrong. The rooftops -even the slippery, poorly constructed, uneven ones amongst them- were still by far the safest way of getting around Crocus on foot. Mugging/Attacking someone was a lot harder when trying to balance on some wonky roofing tiles, multiple meters off ground and in a situation where the victim could easily move away in a different direction.</p><p>But that didn’t mean Lucy didn’t feel a little silly, having to be carried on said rooftops.</p><p>“Still can’t believe you’re the whiny Salamander-guy.” She mumbled, whilst the pinkette swung both of them over the roof’s edge with one arm, the other tightly wrapped around her.</p><p>Lucy swung her own arms around his neck, helping him support her –plus eleven knives’- weight. She couldn’t help but notice how warm he was, despite only wearing that black, open waistcoat, and how it felt kind of nice to be so close...Mavis, she needed sleep! Then her brain would function normally again, and not get hung up on silly observations, like her job-partner’s body heat! Seriously, tonight was just weird for her.</p><p>“Whiny?” Natsu exclaimed, not breaking stride and jumping across a gap between two houses with practiced ease. “I just pointed out that I was only a couple of minutes behind you!”</p><p>“By complaining about it on the website!” She countered accusingly.</p><p>“Hey I offered a spar in return!”</p><p>“Which is even more unsafe! I could’ve been anyone; a borderline dark assassin, an actual illegal one or even a Rune Knight who hacked their way into the system! That was really a reckless move.”</p><p>“Y’know, you’re being pretty rude to someone who could chuck you off this roof, Luce.” His tone implied playfulness and no intend of carrying out the action to his words.</p><p>Still she looked up at her job-partner with a critical eye. She didn’t know this person at all. Sure, they’d helped each other with this mission and he’d been kind enough to give her a boost after her injury and to patch it up afterwards...and now he was carrying her, because otherwise it might be too dangerous. And he was taking her home instead of just leaving her for the I.P. to find...</p><p>OK, so maybe he appeared like a kind, considerable –if slightly childish-, overly energetic assassin. But that could be a ruse! Again; this was Crocus! The capital of Fiore, aka. the country with the highest crime rate in...everywhere!</p><p>As if sensing her guard rising, Natsu flashed her a sunshine-and-rainbows-grin, which somehow managed to calm her cautious panic instantaneously. How did he do that?</p><p>“Don’t worry Luce, I wouldn’t actually do it. For one thing: I’m not evil. Secondly: what kind of an example would I be setting for Happy, if I just went around, throwing injured people off of buildings?” He motioned to the little, blue fur ball running just behind them. “And also: how long do you think I’d survive if word got out that I’ve hurt a Celestial?”</p><p>Lucy let out a weak chuckle at that. Yeah, her nakama would definitely come after him. With a vengeance. And her guild was notorious enough for everyone to know that.</p><p>“Thank you, Natsu.” She said earnestly.</p><p>He just smiled down at her, before clutching the blonde tighter as he took a large leap off the house, landing softly in someone’s overgrown flowerbed.</p><p>“No problem Luce. I think we’re here.”</p><p>Lucy turned her head slightly to see the passing street sign. It wasn’t hard to pick out her guild’s house from there. It was tall and thin, painted in a dark blue that almost made it blend into the night sky above it. That and the golden key painted on both the door and the mailbox were kind of a give-away.</p><p>Lucy gave a quiet sigh when she saw that the living room lights were still on, together with multiple ones on the floors above. They must’ve found her gone, leaving just the note in her place. So much for her plan to just sneak in and make everything not look as bad as it was.</p><p>Natsu walked up to the door and the smaller assassin tried to slide out of his grasp. But the fire-spouting pinkette obviously didn’t seem to find anything wrong with the situation and pushed the button for the bell.</p><p>Oh crap.</p><p>Before Lucy could warn him about her nakama’s overprotectiveness, the door was violently swung open to reveal Aquarius in all her glooming glory. She looked ready to give a stern lecture about sneaking out and scaring your guild mates. Instead, she was greeted by the sight of a stranger holding her youngest nakama who was injured?!</p><p>Multiple sets of footsteps were audible, as the rest of the Celestial guild came crashing to the door.</p><p>Oh oh.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>This was turning into a very educational night for Natsu. He’d already learned so many things, like:</p><p>          1. Always double check the fine print on a mission request; you never know, someone could be send to help you.</p><p>          2. Don’t work on Pokémon logic and attack the first person you see.</p><p>          3. And, perhaps the most important of the night’s lessons: Never -and I mean never!- turn up at a guild with their injured nakama without offering an explanation in about half a second. Especially if that guild should be the Celestials of Crocus.</p><p>In the blink of an eye, Lucy was no longer in his arms, whisked away by a fellow pinkette in a maid outfit. The tall, blue haired woman who’d answered the door, grabbed him by the scarf, shoving him into the hallway.</p><p>About two seconds after he’d rung the bell, Natsu had a trident, a shotgun, two knitting needles, a large flashlight, a first edition copy of Jane Eyre, a pair of scissors, a drawn arrow, a walking stick and a huge ass axe pointing at him.</p><p>And he couldn’t recall ever being more terrified for his life before.</p><p>“Uhm...hi?”</p><p>Happy jumped into his roommate’s arms, baring his little teeth protectively. But both cat and owner cowered back as the blue haired woman with the trident build herself up to her full height.</p><p>“What is your involvement with Lucy’s injuries?” Her loud voice boomed through the hallway, her glare staying firmly on him.</p><p>“Uh...partial?” Natsu shrunk further into the wall behind him.</p><p>          4. Also: if such an occasion should arise, choose your words extremely carefully!!!</p><p>He could practically feel the dark aura pouring out of the Celestials and regretted his choice of words –even if it was technically true- immediately.</p><p>“Wait, wait, wait!-” He added quickly, as the peculiar array of weapons inched closer to him.</p><p>“-There was a...misunderstanding about identification and the-the poster wasn’t very clear and, uh...” Natsu used one finger to carefully nudge the trident’s spikes away from his throat, whilst clutching Happy to his chest with his other arm.</p><p>“But you had a part in injuring our nakama?” A middle-aged man with a white beard and sunglasses, holding the classical novel threateningly over Natsu’s head, asked in a monotone voice with a slightly dangerous undertone.</p><p>Choose words carefully! Choose words carefully! Choose-</p><p>“Yes.-”</p><p>Dammit!</p><p>“-But it was mutual!” He hurried to add, really fearing for his well-being at that moment.</p><p>He was debating with himself if a smoke bomb could get him and Happy out of there, when:</p><p>“Guys!” Someone shouted from behind the cluster of angry Celestials.</p><p>The assassins turned, not lowering their weapons though and Natsu had to lean slightly closer to the knitting needle than he was comfortable with, to look around the blue haired woman he’d seen at the meetings from time to time.</p><p>His job-partner stood, leaning against the doorway that seemed to lead to a kitchen/dining area, still looking too pale, whilst the young, pink-haired woman tried to tug her back into the room, a fresh roll of bandages in one hand.</p><p>“He <em>helped </em>me!” Lucy said loudly. “We were hired for the same job and I got hurt then!”</p><p>“Then why didn’t you say that?” A ginger man, also wearing sunglasses and a suit, asked in exasperation, tucking away the flashlight he’d been aiming at Natsu’s eyes.</p><p>“And why did you say you were to blame for Lucy getting hurt?” The man, who reminded Natsu a bit of a goat, asked, one white eyebrow raised.</p><p>“Well...uh, at first we both thought the other is the Eisenwald assass-”</p><p>“Eisenwald?!” Half the guild exploded, making Natsu jump dangerously close to the sharp pair of scissors.</p><p>He saw Lucy sigh, looking really tired.</p><p>At once, the attention was away from the pinkette, still holding his blue furred cat, and on the youngest Celestial.</p><p>“You took on Eisenwald assassins?! Alone?!” The ginger looked like he was having multiple heart attacks.</p><p>The tall bluenette just looked annoyed. But more so at the torch-guy than Lucy.</p><p>“That was very dangerous.” Another pink haired woman mumbled quietly from the back of the group.</p><p>“I thooooought Eisenwald was disbanded.” The really tall and really muscular man, wearing nothing but shorts and fingerless gloves, scratched his chin with an axe that was bigger than Natsu.</p><p>“But not all the members were caught, baby.” Scissors-guy, also wearing sunglasses –what was with these people and their dislike of light?!- added.</p><p>“Is this the request about two of their missing members?” Ginger piped up again. “That mission was for two people! What were you thinking?”</p><p>“Loke!” The woman in the maid-outfit said harshly. “We do not yell at injured nakama!”</p><p>“Yeah! And also, when I saw it, it said plus one!” The blonde countered stubbornly, as the small woman tugged at her arm again, presumably to get her to finally sit down and rest her injured leg. “And anyway, Natsu was kind enough to patch me up, after we succeeded in the mission, by the way, and carried me all the way here!”</p><p>Suddenly, eleven sets of eyes were on the Dragon again, who’d been slowly inching his way towards the door.</p><p>“Natsu, hold on.” He saw her wince as she took a shaky step towards him. “You’re hurt too.”</p><p>“Nah, I’m alright Luce.” His throat was closing up and his smile felt forced. “I’m gonna go. See you around.”</p><p>And before anyone could make a move, he’d darted out the door and scaled up the nearest house, running as if he was being chased.</p><p>Only when the fresh, night’s air hit his face again, did Natsu feel like he could breathe freely.</p><p>It hadn’t been the unspoken threats of the Celestials or the prospect of nearly being stabbed, shot, impaled, blinded or hacked to pieces by them that had twisted his heart.</p><p>Heck, this entire evening had opened the box of memories Natsu tried so hard to shove into the far back of his mind.</p><p>Working on a request with someone that was not Happy had taken him back:</p><p>When he’d supported Lucy on their way out of the destroyed train station, it’d reminded him of all the times he’d hobbled along the streets with his older cousin, whenever one of them had done something extra stupid, which had resulted in a twisted ankle or the likes, causing one to lean on the other.</p><p>He’d carried their younger cousin over the rooftops in the same way, after the small, girl had tried to glide off a building with a homemade kite and had dislocated her shoulder after the resulting, bad fall.</p><p>But he’d been sure he could handle the close proximity to another person –which didn’t include an attempt to end the other’s life- and the rush of emotions it provided.</p><p>But once inside the Celestial’s guild...after they’d stopped interrogating him and went on their worried rant about Lucy’s safety...that had been one display of nakama-affection too many for him.</p><p>It had blown open that locked box of his comforting, yet painful past. Memories of crimson eyes and piercings; long, dark blue hair flowing in the wind; Grandeeney’s medicine that always tasted like sweet potato syrup to him; the gruff but well-meaning comments on his attempts at metal welding from Metalicana; and his...his dad helping him construct his first pair of fire spouting gloves, flooded to the forefront of his mind.</p><p>And it was too much.</p><p>Too much to sift through whilst having to maintain a conversation with Lucy or her nakama. He needed peace and solitude, and he wouldn’t get either of those on the streets/roofs of their city.</p><p>From his place below Natsu’s chin, wrapped up in the white scarf, Happy gave a small <em>meow</em>. Natsu looked around, realizing that they had already reached his apartment block. He’d sprinted over the roofs in what had to be record time. Or maybe he hadn’t noticed the time passing. Either way, he swung in through his window on the top floor, landing heavily on the wooden floorboards, possibly alerting and/or waking up the people in the apartment below his.</p><p>But Natsu was still too caught up in the whirlwind of scattering memories to notice much. He immediately flopped onto his hammock, pulling Happy close to his chest and squeezed his eyes shut.</p><p>Over the years, he’d found that this was the most comfortable position when the rush overcame him. The gentle swinging of the hammock calmed him down, if the sadness should turn to panic, and having Happy close by was always a source of peace. Now all that was left was to push the memories back down and lock the box once more.</p><p>Four months after...everything had happened, Natsu had realized in shock that he couldn’t remember the exact shade of Grandeeney’s eyes. Nor if his younger cousin’s hair had been just above or just below her shoulders. And exactly how did that annoying laugh Metallica and his son both shared, sound again? The pink haired assassin had been terrified of forgetting those little things about his family. Because if it continued, did that mean he’d forget them all at one point?</p><p>So, from time to time, Natsu forced himself to think back to those happy days, where the Dragon’s guild had been intact and proud, no signs of crumbled walls or smoking, burning rooms. It brought with it a feeling of longing and pain, but Natsu could handle that, if only for seeing his nakamas’ smiling faces behind his closed eyelids again.</p><p>But all those flashes of a happy, early childhood would always inevitably lead up to the destruction of their guild. Those memories, Natsu always forced into the back of his mind, not wanting to relive that night, nor the first weeks that followed. Also, because he couldn’t quite keep the feeling of panic and fear at bay. Despite his best efforts, those particular flashes of his past came back in his dreams, taunting him with the fact that they would always find him there.</p><p>Natsu took a deep breath, opening his eyes to the dark apartment. Happy looked up at him, his eyes glowing lightly in the semi-darkness.</p><p>“I’m alright, buddy.” Natsu assured him.</p><p>He didn’t know how well cats could remember things, but he was certain his blue-furred roommate would sometimes think back to the other felines that had inhabited their guild.</p><p>“Everything’s gonna be alright.”</p><p>He sat up and finally remembered that Lucy had been correct. He too had been injured. The cut that ran horizontally across his right knuckles, had stopped bleeding, but would still require treatment; same with the injury on his upper arm.</p><p>Natsu grabbed the nearest medical kit (of cause he had multiple lying around, in his profession you could never be too prepared) and started applying an antibacterial salve on his fingers. There was nothing he could really do about the bruises from being pushed around by Ponytail-guy, except maybe taking it easy for the next couple of days. A cold compress would hopefully minimize what would soon be a considerable bump on his head.</p><p>Not a fan of silence, and now assured that his friend was alright, Happy jumped onto the cupboard besides the hammock, landing on the on-button of the old radio that stood there.</p><p>The music of the random song filled the chaotic space and made Natsu think again. Despite the mess of emotions this evening had thrown him into, he’d still enjoyed working with someone again. Technically, this had been his first mission ever, where he’d worked in a team. He’d been too young back then, to do anything but practice with his cousins and dad and maybe sometimes sneak after the adults to watch from afar. And he had to say, he liked the feeling.</p><p>And although she’d called him ‘Pinkie’ multiple times tonight, and had thrown a rock at his head, –and they’d both tried to seriously injure the other, but that wasn’t so important- he liked the small Celestial assassin. She’d immediately understood his plan in the midst of the fights and was evidently stubborn enough to carry out said plan, despite a serious injury. Plus, Happy seemed to like her.</p><p>Maybe he’d visit her tomorrow, to see how she was doing.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Virgo appeared back in the living room of the guild, having returned from helping Lucy up to her room. After thoroughly checking over all her injuries and bandaging them, she’d prescribed the blonde a good night’s rest.</p><p>Of cause, during her inspection of Lucy’s wounds, the youngest had been grilled by the rest of their nakama on the events of the night.</p><p>Taurus hadn’t been able to restrain himself and had to poke fun at the fact that she attacked the wrong assassin, questioning innocently if she might need some glasses. Which resulted in Sagittarius having to protect his laughing partner from a flying roll of plasters.</p><p>Capricorn hadn’t understood how Lucy could’ve trusted an unspoken plan from a stranger in the midst of a fight, based on one look they’d shared. But the blonde merely shrugged, saying that it was very obvious in the moment that the male pinkette planned on doing a switcheroo.</p><p>The comments, questions and critique had stopped abruptly, once Lucy had mentioned her job-partner’s name. There’d been a beat of silence, which the blonde didn’t seem to notice, too tired and exhausted from her previous activities.</p><p>After a shared look with Aquarius, Virgo had ushered Lucy up the stairs, supporting her hopping movements.</p><p>Layla’s daughter had fallen onto her bed and passed out immediately. Virgo carefully placed the beloved knifes on their designated cupboard, smiling softly when she held the knife she’d gifted Lucy all those years ago. The blonde had carefully carved Virgo’s emblem on the hilt of the small weapon that dangled on a thin chain; usually disguised as a ‘harmless’ bracelet when it was worn.</p><p>The older assassin had made sure to tuck Lucy in tight and silently closed the door.</p><p>Using one of the many secret passages in the building, Virgo appeared back in the living room, unseen by her nakama, and stood next to her older partner in the armchair.</p><p>“Princess is asleep.” She stated into the room, where an emergency meeting of all the Celestial S-Class assassins was now taking place.</p><p>“Yooooou heard the name tooooo, right?!” Taurus exploded, unable to hold back his confusion.</p><p>Aquarius gave their largest member a stern glance at his noise volume, but nodded. “I believe we didn’t all simultaneously mishear.”</p><p>“Perhaps he was lying.” Capricorn considered out loud.</p><p>“Only pathetic criminals would stoop so low as to take on the name of a fallen guild!” Virgo’s partner piped up beside her, gesturing with his walking stick in a very grandfatherly fashion that every Celestial could appreciate.</p><p>“I saw him at the meetings sometimes.” Scorpio added. “I doubt an illegal assassin would get in. Especially not multiple times.”</p><p>“And he helped Lucy.” Aries mumbled quietly. “I don’t think he’s a criminal.”</p><p>“He’s not.” Loke agreed. “He’s the real deal.” The ginger man had been uncharacteristically quiet after Lucy’s job-partner had left so suddenly and hadn’t said a word after she’d told them his name.</p><p>“How can you be sure?” Their unofficial -yet recognized- leader, Aquarius, asked him.</p><p>“I saw his emblem when he ran out. The three dragon heads...and also, I remember him.”</p><p>“You remember him, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius prompted.</p><p>“The pink hair isn’t easy to forget. I wasn’t certain before, he’s changed quite a lot over the last...twelve or so years...” Loke looked deep in thought, a rarity on its own.</p><p>“Twelve years ago.” Aquarius repeated. “You weren’t a Celestial back then.”</p><p>“No. It was my final year in my last guild. The Dragons visited us, five of them with one pregnant, I believe. Just once, after a collaboration of our guilds. Natsu was with them. I doubt he remembers me though. He must’ve been, what five or six at the time?”</p><p>The resulting silence stretched on, as each Celestial –sans a sleeping Lucy- contemplated what this meant. Some –aka. Capricorn, Aquarius, Loke, etc.- more than others –like...Taurus.</p><p>“But this is goooood, right?” The tall man asked, seeing nothing wrong with the situation. “Shooooows the Knights that guilds keep going, nooooo matter what!”</p><p>“Perhaps.” Capricorn, the guild’s intellectual, spoke up. “But we have to remember that the Rune Knights have, in the past, deemed it necessary to eliminate the Dragons’ guild.”</p><p>“That was...five years ago.” Gemini scratched his balding, blue hair. Virgo had long since discovered that he did that whenever he tried to recall something from his long life. It was one of the many, humane traits he had, which she admired so much about him and their nakama. So many different, little habits for her to categorize and analyze.</p><p>“Yes, but it still happened.”</p><p>“What exactly are you saying, baby?” Cancer, for the benefit of those assassins who couldn’t quite follow the track of the conversation, asked, whilst retying one of his many, little braids.</p><p>“What if the Knights go after ‘the last Dragon’ and therefore; Natsu?” Aquarius explained.</p><p>“You think that would link him to us?” Aries said quietly in a panicked voice.</p><p>Virgo watched as Loke took his partner’s hand and Aries’ shoulder just as quickly became less tense at the touch, whilst the rest of their guild contemplated what had been said.</p><p>The Dragons’ guild had been legendary in Crocus, and probably all over Fiore too, easily on the same level as the Celestials. They’d worked in the southern side of their huge city, whereas their guild was north of the castle, which stood in the center.</p><p>Not counting the monthly meetings, the two guilds had never interacted. Not to Virgo’s recollection, anyway.</p><p>That was one of the rumored reasons as to why the Dragons had been targeted by the Knights; they’d collaborated with others too much. Whilst the Celestials kept a carefully constructed, solitary reputation, Natsu’s guild had openly worked together with others. Like Loke’s last guild, apparently. And that posed a danger to the government.</p><p>“I seriously doubt it.” Scorpio’s relaxed voice rung through the living room. “Think about it; the kid hasn’t exactly been keeping a low profile. He kept his name and his emblem. If the Knights were still after him, they would’ve struck by now.”</p><p>Virgo saw Aquarius shoot her partner a thankful look.</p><p>“Exactly.” The bluenette tried to soothe the concerned mood in the room. “And Lucy only worked randomly with him on one mission. I do not think we’ll hear from him again anytime soon.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not a psychiatrist! I don't know how people would react in Natsu's situation, so I took some creative liberty.<br/>Also, yes, Happy is a feline therapist.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Breaking, Entering and Hacking</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lucy woke up to the sun shining relentlessly into her eyes through the circular roof-window across from her bed. She tried to shield herself from the stubborn rays of light, but found she couldn’t lift her arms. She looked down and saw that her blanket had been tucked so tight into the folds of her mattress, she felt like she was being faxed.</p><p>Virgo must’ve tucked her in last night. With a smile, Lucy slowly began the process of wiggling her way out from between the mattress and the blanket, when suddenly the sun no longer blinded her.</p><p>For a split second, the blonde enjoyed the shadow over her face. Then nearly jumped out of her skin, when her muddled brain finally caught up with the fact that there really shouldn’t be anything between her and the window.</p><p>“Mornin’ Luce!”</p><p>Lucy yelped. If it hadn’t been for Virgo’s brutally efficient tucking-in from the night before, she would’ve definitely fallen out of bed and alerted her nakama.</p><p>Her first instinct was to reach for a weapon. But she still couldn’t exactly move freely. Plus her ten knifes lay perfectly arranged on the dresser beside her bed. Just out of arm’s reach.</p><p>In her helpless position, Lucy finally looked up to the shadow.</p><p>Spiky hair, the pink colour illuminated by the sun’s light behind him, dark eyes looking down at her and slightly sharper-than-normal canines grinning at her bewildered expression.</p><p>“N-Natsu?!”</p><p>This had to be a dream, right? There was no way her job-partner from last night was standing in her bedroom. Loke and Capricorn would’ve thrown him out of the house, even at the suggestion of such a ‘violation of manners’.</p><p>The blonde finally managed to wrench one arm free from the blanket’s grasp and rubbed her eyes. But the lean silhouette of Natsu refused to disappear.</p><p>Oh Mavis, this wasn’t a dream.</p><p>“What are you-? Why are you-? How are you here?!” Lucy decided, staring up at the pinkette.</p><p>“Wanted to see if you’re alright.” The other assassin shrugged casually, like that was a completely reasonable explanation. “And I wanted to return this.”</p><p>He held up her backpack, which she’d had to abandon the night before, outside of the train station.</p><p>Alright, that answered her first two, half-formed questions.</p><p>“OK, OK. But <em>how</em> are you here?” Mavis, her hair had to look a mess. Lucy managed to detangle her legs from the covers, her injuries giving a little twinge of protest at the movement, and grabbed a hair bobble from the bedside table. Now that blonde strands weren’t obstructing her field of vision anymore, she could get a clearer view of the last Dragon.</p><p>Said person looked at her like she’d just asked the dumbest question imaginable.</p><p>“Through the window, duh.” He pointed to the circular skylight above on the aslant roof.</p><p>“R-Right...the window...the window...YOU BROKE INTO MY ROOM?!” Lucy had to restrain her voice, or else risk alerting her nakama to the pinkette’s presence. Aquarius would straight up murder him.</p><p>“It wasn’t that hard.” Natsu shrugged again, completely misunderstanding her outrage.</p><p>“That’s not the point!” Lucy hissed, hearing steps descending down the stairs. “You can’t just break into someone’s guild! Or into a girl’s bedroom! Especially not while I’m sleeping!”</p><p>Natsu cocked his head in confusion, swaying back and forth on the heels or his boots. “But I can, Luce. It’s really not that difficult.”</p><p>Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose, taking deep breaths. Apparently her job-partner from the previous night had never heard of social etiquette. Or of some Mavis-damn common sense!</p><p>She supposed entering through her window wasn’t the hardest task for a skilled assassin. The lock was normal, because if Rune Knights were to attack her guild, they surely wouldn’t enter in the most inconvenient location of the building, would they? Their weapons were –in the largest part- downstairs, together with most of the emergency exits. And also, how would an army of ‘soldiers’ first climb up the house’s side, then silently force her window open and then attack them? Although Natsu had managed to do the first two, with none of her nakama being the wiser.</p><p>The rest of the Celestial guild was practically a fortress. The windows on the lower floors were made of thick, bullet-proof glass, as well as being one-way. Meaning they could look out, but no one (a sniper or a spy, perhaps?) could look in on them.</p><p>The walls were of the old, classical stone build; not easy to knock down in one go. There was a camera above the button for the bell and an alarm for every door, if it someone were to try to open it forcefully.</p><p>Lucy knew that her guild was riddled with secret passages and hiding spots. She’d found sixteen so far, but only Virgo knew all their locations for sure. Several of those led to safe locations outside her home, in case of an escape.</p><p>And who would be insane enough to actually try to confront the renowned Celestials in their own home?</p><p>In short; finding a relative stranger, who had accomplished the feat of breaking and entering the Celestial’s headquarter, was something new for Lucy.</p><p>The blonde decided not to explode about Natsu’s uninvited presence, because then Loke or Virgo or anyone else, might become aware of him being in her room...without their knowledge. And she’d barely managed to calm them down when Natsu was the hero who’d carried her home. This would be a little harder to explain.</p><p>So instead, she gave a defeated smile and said: “Thanks for checking on me, Natsu. I feel much better. Although, maybe enter through the door next time?”</p><p>“No offence, Luce. But last time I did that, I was nearly turned into a pincushion.”</p><p>Lucy was about to explain, and maybe also apologize, for her nakama’s reaction, when a small, blue spot of fur jumped onto her covers.</p><p>“Hello again.” She said smiling and picked up the little cat. “Happy, right?”</p><p>The small animal gave a weird sound that went something like <em>me-aye-w</em> and purred contently when she started petting his back.</p><p>Whilst she was doing that, Lucy looked over to the cat’s...friend, who was examining –but not touching- her unique collection of blades.</p><p>It was the first time she saw him in full light –without her being ready to drop from exhaustion and blood loss- and Lucy couldn’t help but think that it was unfair how refreshed he looked. He must’ve been up just as long as her, maybe even longer, considering he had to make his way home after...‘dropping her off’ at her guild. And he’d evidently already been back at the train station, proven by the return of her backpack. Yet he showed no signs of fatigue, his naturally tanned skin glowing healthily in the sunlight and his eyes as bright as last night. He’d changed his peculiar get-up from the previous evening for a more conventional T-Shirt and jeans, although still wearing the white scarf.</p><p>“I knew you had more than I could see-what are you staring at?” He’d turned to face her.</p><p>Lucy noticed that she’d been openly checking him ou- no! She hadn’t been doing that! She’d simply gotten...lost in thought and hadn’t realized she’d been looking at him. That’s it!</p><p>“Nothing.” She quickly looked down at Happy, feeling heat rising to her cheeks at being called out.</p><p>Even the cat didn’t look like he believed her.</p><p>“Just wondering how your injuries are doing.” Lucy saved herself. She could see some bandaging through his shirt and plasters covered every finger on his right hand. Those cuts had been her doing after all.</p><p>“It’s nothin’.” He waved it off.</p><p>Ah yes, the Assassin’s Pride. Everything was ‘just a scratch’ until they literally collapsed. And Lucy had to admit that she too tried to downplay her hurt, if she got injured on a mission. Of cause her nakama never let it slide.</p><p>It felt stupid to apologize for it, seeing that they’d both done minor damage to the other. Her shoulder still throbbed beneath the anti-inflammatory salve and soft bandaging, where the burning end of his staff had landed a solid hit. She wasn’t mad though. For one thing; it would be hypocritical. And also; he’d quite possibly saved her life right after the mix-up had been cleared up.</p><p>“By the way,” Natsu started, holding up her retrieved backpack. “Hope you don’t mind, I sprayed your emblem at the station too.”</p><p>“You did?” Lucy asked astonished. Her bag of cause included a can of water-soluble, golden spray-paint, which she’d last used during the mission with the trafficker and his flamethrower.</p><p>“Yeah. Think I got it right. Ten points and the Celestial key, right?”</p><p>She nodded, pausing in her movements to stroke Happy’s fur, to hold up her left hand.</p><p>‘Making your mark’ at the scene of a successful mission wasn’t really a necessity, the paint would wash away after the next rainfall anyway, but it had its practical uses. For one; assassins could see that a mission had recently been completed there, warning them to be weary of Rune Knights, who might be trying to scout out that area to gather clues. Also; the I.P. could see that it had been a ‘legal’ assassin’s doing, not having to worry about a new criminal gang that might’ve been the cause for whatever’d happened there.</p><p>“That’s right. Thanks for adding mine. I doubt I’ll be allowed out the house anytime soon.” She gestured to her heavily bandages thigh and quickly resumed in petting Happy, who’d started making dramatic noises of complaint.</p><p>Those little cat-whines had been enough to catch the attention of another Celestial though.</p><p>“Lucy? Are you up, kiddo?”</p><p>Both teenaged assassins froze at Gemini’s voice, coming from one flight of stairs below them.</p><p>“You have to go.” She whispered to Natsu, who was already scooping up his little friend.</p><p>“Yeah, Gemini. I just woke up!” Lucy called down, hearing the old man’s slow steps, accompanied by the steady ‘tock’-‘tock’ of his walking stick, coming up her stairs.</p><p>“Hey, Luce?” Natsu whisper-yelled to her from his position beneath the circular window, one hand already on the handle.</p><p>He didn’t look her in the eyes, and if Lucy hadn’t been so concerned about his well-being in the very near future, she might’ve noticed the light blush dusting his cheeks.</p><p>“We made a pretty good team, right?”</p><p>“Yeah. Yes, we did.” Lucy answered, a little confused by the question –because, to her, the answer was obvious- and also getting a little nervous at the approaching steps from the oldest Celestial.</p><p>Sure, Gemini wasn’t a brawler the likes of his partner, but the blonde knew for sure that the old man could –and would, if he found an intruder in his nakama’s bedroom- do some damage.</p><p>“Well...uh...” Natsu scratched the back of his head, stalling his next question and doing nothing for Lucy’s nerves. “Would you like to...ya know, go on another mission together?”</p><p>Lucy looked at him in surprise. She hadn’t expected that. He wanted to go on another mission...with her?!</p><p>Taking her silence for dismissal of his idea, the pinkette quickly added: “Ya know, if you wanna...if not, that’s totally fine...I should probably go-”</p><p>“You want to take on another request with me?” Lucy interrupted his rambling. “Although I got myself injured? And you had to help me?”</p><p>Now Natsu looked at her with confusion.</p><p>“Duh, Luce. We make a great team.” His cheerful smile was all the reassurance to his earnest Lucy needed.</p><p>A curse about ‘damn steps’, panting and knocking came from the other side of her door.</p><p>“Yes, I’d love to go on a mission with you, Natsu.” Lucy returned his smile.</p><p>She barely caught a glimpse of his grin widening and him readjusting his grip on Happy, before he disappeared out the window in the blink of an eye.</p><p>“Hey kiddo. How are you feeling?” Gemini pushed open the door, to see the guild’s youngest smiling at an empty spot under her skylight.</p><p>“Pretty good, Gemini. Pretty good.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It took two weeks, until Virgo let Lucy move further than the bathroom. Her minor injuries had healed into thin scars, if not disappearing completely. Her leg was doing fine for the circumstances and she could walk about with no difficulty.</p><p>During those two weeks of undebatable –she’d tried, but had been outnumbered 10:1- bedrest, Lucy had taken some time to write her novel, catch up on some reading recommendations from Capricorn, and had send back half the reward money from the Independent Police.</p><p>The latter was a common practice among legal guilds. Although assassins were also –technically- criminals, in the eyes of the facetious law, they had great respect for the I.P.. It was an unspoken tradition, to only take half of the money the I.P. rewarded, if they chose to turn to the website, as a sign of gratitude for their hard work.</p><p>Now, the blonde was burning off two weeks’ worth of pent up energy in the guild’s basement-gym. The punching bag swung back and forth, as Lucy threw attack after attack at it with her bandages fists.</p><p>On the other side of the spacious room, were Taurus and Sagittarius. The bull-themed assassin was bench pressing a barbell that looked like it equaled the weight of all other Celestials combined. His partner stood at his head, acting as the spotter, arms outstretched. But that was more of a formality than anything else.</p><p>Ever since the great ‘Gemini-tried-to-use-dumbbells-way-over-his-ability-by-himself-and-dropped-it-on-his-foot-incident’ from four years ago, Aquarius had put a strict two-people-minimum regulation on the gym.</p><p>Lucy very much doubted that the skinny man in the horse costume could even move the impressive weight his herculean partner was using with ease. But, as the saying goes; <em>‘better safe than face the wrath of Aquarius’</em>.</p><p>Testing out the strength in her newly healed leg, Lucy threw a few kicks at the bag suspended from the ceiling. There was some pressure, but she’d be fine.</p><p>“Princess.”</p><p>Lucy squeaked, whirling around in a ridiculous excuse of a defensive stance.</p><p>Virgo had appeared –as she usually did; completely magically!- beside Taurus’ bench press. The latter, cursed in surprise, barely refraining himself from letting go off the weight, which started swaying dangerously from one side to the other. His partner’s attempt to stabilize it, resulted in, as Lucy had predicted, nothing really.</p><p>“Mavis, Virgooooo!” Taurus panted, resting the barbell back on the safety bars. “Make a noooooise, or something!”</p><p>The pink haired woman with the pixie cut ignored him, instead keeping her poker face directed at the teen.</p><p>“You said you’d take it easy with your leg.” She stated.</p><p>“Bu-, I just...that was...I kicked it THREE TIMES! EIGHT SECONDS AGO! How do you know...?” Lucy stared at her open-mouthed.</p><p>Taurus, Scorpio and her, had long since tried coming up with theories of how Virgo knew everything, everywhere, all the time. Scorpio’s idea of a magical, third eye was looking pretty good right about now.</p><p>The mysterious woman simply kept looking at Lucy, not giving a reply, but those who could read Virgo’s stoic features, could see the slightest twinkle of amusement in her blue eyes.</p><p>“Alright, alright. I promise; no more kicking.” Lucy held up her hand in the ‘scout’s honor’ fashion.</p><p>Virgo nodded in approval. Everyone knew Lucy didn’t break promises. Layla had taught her that your word is your bond, and to always respect that.</p><p>She should probably take a break anyway. Her fingers were starting to go numb and she could use some hydration.</p><p>Lucy didn’t need to turn back around to know that, as soon as she’d walked to the bench leaning against the wall, Virgo had vanished again.</p><p>“I tooooold ya,” Taurus started, stretching out his muscles and grinning over at her, “she’s secretly a spirit.”</p><p>The blonde shook her head sagely, taking a swig from her water bottle. “I’m still saying she can see through walls.”</p><p>“Perhaps teleportation, moshi moshi?” Sagittarius theorized with them.</p><p>Whilst Taurus inaugurated his partner in all the silly theories they’d come up with so far, Capricorn and Loke came down the steps, heading for the sparring mat.</p><p>Lucy’s curiosity was drawn, because when the guild’s two hand-to-hand experts went up against each other, an impressive show was always guaranteed. Especially since those two assassins were pretty much opposite, in everything but their fighting style...and their choice of clothing.</p><p>Gemini hurried down the stairs after them, as fast as his bad leg would let him. He plopped down next to Lucy, together with Taurus and Sagittarius, all of them observing the two on the mat with analytical interest.</p><p>“Who do you think will win this time?” She whispered to the blue haired man beside her.</p><p>“Well, statistically, Capricorn is the best bet.” He answered in a conspiratorial voice. “But Loke is...Loke.”</p><p>They shared a knowing smile. Whilst ‘the Lion’ usually used his flashlights -either for blinding his opponent, or as a blunt force weapon- Capricorn worked exclusively with his fists. And also, Loke was no longer allowed to use the torches during sparring, since the ‘wrong-battery-power-causing-the-audience-(aka. the Celestials!)-to stumble-around-blindly-for-a-few-minutes-accident’ of last July, authorized by none other than Aquarius. And as the saying goes...</p><p>“You ready, old man?” Loke grinned at his stone-faced sparring partner, who almost rivaled Virgo for the poker-face-of-the-century-award.</p><p>“HEY!” Gemini piped up from the bench seat. “I believe that is my title, kid!”</p><p>“Kid?!” Loke bristled in response. “I’m almost thirty years old, you geez-”</p><p>“And start!” Lucy yelled, before this well-known argument could start anew.</p><p>Capricorn shot her a thankful look over his sunglasses, before readying himself.</p><p>Loke pounced first, a blow which Capricorn easily brushed aside and countering with one of his own. The four sets of eyes from the spectators went back and forth, like watching a ping-pong match on fast-forward, as the two before them exchanged, dodged and parried kicks, punches and attacks.</p><p>The room was devoid of any talking. Until, of cause, Loke used his primary weapon; his ability to annoy anyone.</p><p>“Hey Cap.” He started, smiling all too innocently at the older man. “Do you know why the sun is my favorite planet?”</p><p>If Lucy hadn’t been looking for it, the small frown on Capricorn’s face might’ve gone unnoticed by her.</p><p>“Because it’s so reliable. I mean it’s been circling around the earth for hundreds of years...” He jumped over a sweeping kick.</p><p>Gemini chuckled next to her, watching the exchange intently.</p><p>As someone who corrected his enemies during a fight, if they should dare to say anything factually incorrect, Capricorn was having a hard time keeping his mouth shut, even though he knew exactly what Loke was doing.</p><p>Whilst Loke recounted his knowledge of the sun being responsible for x-rays, Lucy’s phone beeped next to her.</p><p>She glanced at it quickly, not wanting to miss too much from this valuable lesson in ‘driving your opponent insane’-by Loke, but was distracted by the message from a strange number.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>Hey Luce. U feelin up 2 kick some butt?</p><p> </p><p>Below it was a screenshot of a request from the website. It looked quite good; stopping a small gang, which had been the cause of a series of robberies in the eastern part of Crocus. Not dull, but not too hard: perfect for her to get back in the game after the injury.</p><p>That was Lucy’s first thought. Her second was: How in the world had he gotten her number?</p><p>The only way that was possible would’ve been to access her phone, which was password/fingerprint protected. So how...?</p><p>Alright, so her job-partner not only had no scruples about breaking into buildings, but also people’s phones! He must’ve hacked his way in, when he’d gotten her backpack from the station, two weeks ago. And she couldn’t really be mad at that, so Lucy decided to have some fun.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Lucy </strong>
</p><p>I’m sorry, I don’t seem to have you in my contacts. Who is this?</p><p> </p><p>Of cause it had to be Natsu. No one else called her ‘Luce’. Or had that little respect for typing out full words!</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>it’s Natsu</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy </strong>
</p><p>How do I know it’s really you?</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>c’mon Luce?</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy </strong>
</p><p>What is your hair colour?</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>salmon</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy </strong>
</p><p>So you are a fake! His hair is pink!</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>NO ITS NOT!!! ITS SALMON!</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>Are you sure? Not taffy then?</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown</strong>
</p><p>no...isn’t that smth 2 eat?</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy </strong>
</p><p>Or is it bubblegum?</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>-_-</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>What about fuscia?</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown</strong>
</p><p>r u just makin up words now?</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>Or maybe coral...</p><p>
  <strong>Unknown </strong>
</p><p>now u sound like the ponytail guy Luce</p><p> </p><p>The blonde chuckled quietly to herself, saving the number in her phone.</p><p>“What are you laughing at, Princess?” Loke asked, deflecting an open-palmed strike.</p><p>“I’m just texting with Natsu.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>I’m sorry, Natsu. But I had to make sure my phone wasn’t hacked. It was outside of the train station unsupervised for an entire night.</p><p> </p><p>The sound of strike on block had ceased and Lucy looked up in confusion. Had Loke driven Capricorn mad already? It usually took much longer, and incorrect quotes from classical literature, to accomplish that.</p><p>Five assassins stared at her, the two sparring ones, frozen mid-movement.</p><p>“Natsu?” Loke asked, as if unsure of his hearing.</p><p>“Yeah. The one that dropped me off, two weeks ago? The one you interrogated in the hallway and scared off?” She prompted, one eyebrow raised at them.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Natsu</strong>
</p><p>Weirdo</p><p>
  <strong>Natsu</strong>
</p><p>so, r u up 4 it?</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>Definitely. Meet you tonight at the train station?</p><p>
  
</p><p>Lucy couldn’t be sure, but she thought Loke muttered something like <em>“don’t think we’ll hear from him again anytime soon”</em>.</p><p> </p><p>
  <strong>Natsu</strong>
</p><p>sure thing Luce. CU then</p><p>
  <strong>Lucy</strong>
</p><p>See you soon, Natsu.</p><p> </p><p>She shut off her phone, anticipation for the coming night rising. Two weeks may not sound like a long time to be ‘resting’, but to Lucy it felt like an eternity had passed since she’d jumped over the roofs of Crocus or had carried all her eleven knifes.</p><p>Her nakama were still staring at her, or exchanging glances that Lucy could not figure out the meaning behind.</p><p>Capricorn got over the sudden tension first, following through with the motion, which resulted in his fist slamming against Loke’s jawbone. The latter Celestial was still too caught up in whatever thoughts were running through his head, to dodge in time.</p><p>“Hey, ow! Unfair!” He yelled, as he was thrown back onto the mat, holding his hurting jaw.</p><p>“That’s for saying the sun is a planet.” Capricorn said coolly, readjusting his cufflinks in a business-like manner.</p><p>“Why are you texting with Natsu, Princess?” Loke moved his mouth around experimentally.</p><p>“We’re going on another mission together.” She answered, not knowing of the conversation the older Celestials had had, the night of her first –face-to-face- encounter with the pinkette.</p><p>“How nice.” Gemini responded first, daring any of the others to say anything on the contrary with a sharp glare. “Are you sure you’re up for it?”</p><p>“Yes.” Lucy answered without hesitation. “Virgo said I no longer have to stay in bed and that I should take it easy with my leg. I’ll be careful.”</p><p>Capricorn nodded. “Have fun, Lucy. And please relate my apology to Natsu, for nearly hitting him with my favorite work from Charlotte Brontë.”</p><p>“I will. See you guys tomorrow!” Lucy grabbed her things and darted up the stairs, already making a mental check-list for tonight and forming plans.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>“She’s going on another mission with him?” Aquarius asked in surprise, turning to face her four nakama.</p><p>“Yep. She’s preparing for it as we speak.” Loke answered.</p><p>The ten S-Class assassins stood around the kitchen island, in an improvised emergency meeting.</p><p>“I don’t see what the problem is.” Gemini managed to clamber his way onto one of the tall stools. “We’ve established that he is neither a criminal, nor a threat to us.”</p><p>“Yes, but...” Aquarius trailed off, looking oddly unsure of her next sentence.</p><p>“But...?”</p><p>“Isn’t she too young to be meeting up with boys?” The tall bluenette exploded, crossing her arms defensively.</p><p>There was a beat of silence in the kitchen, before half the guild burst out laughing.</p><p>“That’s what you’re woooooried about?” Taurus chuckled.</p><p>“Lucy is seventeen.” Aries added, politely hiding her smile behind her hand.</p><p>“And a pretty girl like her, I’m surprised we haven’t had to scare off any guys before now.” Gemini laughed along.</p><p>Aquarius harrumphed, muttering <em>“we obviously didn’t do it well enough”</em>, but was prevented from dignifiedly storming off, by two strong arms encircling her waist gently from behind.</p><p>“Maybe I should remind you, sweetheart,” Scorpio stage whispered, grinning and resting his chin on her shoulder, “that we were their age, when we became partners.”</p><p>Aquarius would’ve liked to respond with something snappy, but was overpowered by her partner’s warm embrace. Traitorous euphoria.</p><p>“And no one said anything about partners.” Gemini finished the discussion. “It’s good she gets some friends her own age. You worry too much.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Oops, got caught up with the Celestials...<br/>I promise there'll be more 'Natsu and Lucy' in the next chapter.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Furious Follower and the Gossiping Grandpa</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She’d seen him shoot fire out of his gloves, detonate a home-made grenade in closed quarters and twirl a burning staff about like it was a toy.</p><p>So why did Lucy think working with Natsu this time, would be anything but chaotic?</p><p>Because that was the only way she could accurately describe their first –wanted- mission together. That, and ‘fun’.</p><p>Natsu had the personality and the energy of a never-ending firecracker, and somehow –although she didn’t know how- it worked really well with her more professional and serious work-attitude.</p><p>They’d found the problematic gang fast enough, heading straight east, over the rooftops for a while. Although the rag-tag group of thieves had tried to be somewhat stealthy –using glasscutters, instead of going with the tried-and-tested method of just smashing in the glass front-, they hadn’t been hard to find. </p><p>Karma had struck them, when they’d decided to target a ‘Watch and Clock Repair Shop’ and had accidentally set off a grand cuckoo clock. An extremely loud cuckoo clock.</p><p>The thieves had panicked, obviously quite new at this, and started to scatter with whatever loot they’d been able to grab, just as Lucy and Natsu had reached the scene, following the cuckoo’s loud calling.</p><p>Once again, without discussion, both teen assassins knew what to do; splitting up as soon as they’d seen the situation. They quickly rounded up the bandits, before they could escape the narrow streets and into the tangle of alleys, herding them back to the shop’s front. Lucy with the methods of threats and intimidation via the Celestial name, and Natsu with an explosion, causing the entire row of houses to shake! Different, but equally effective.</p><p>Whilst Natsu had stood guard on his side of the street, the I.P. already on the phone, one of the bandits attempted to break through. He’d picked out Lucy as the less dangerous of the two assassins (idiot), charging at her in a <em>‘surprise attack’</em>, a gilded watch-case opener in his grasp.</p><p>That little rebellion lasted for all of two seconds, as Lucy easily twisted his arm and used his running momentum to fling him back to the others. No more break-outs were attempted after that.</p><p>The flashing cars of the Independent Police had squeezed their way through the narrow street soon after, whilst Lucy pulled up a black mask. Natsu simply used his scarf. This was more a formality than anything else. Just so the officers could claim <em>“no identification”</em>, making everyone’s life a little easier.</p><p>As they loaded the half dozen thieves into the backs of their cars, one officer raised an eyebrow at the smoking spot, where Natsu’s hand grenade had made its permanent mark. Luckily, he just shrugged and didn’t ask about the greater details.</p><p>The pinkette waved them off, before joining Lucy in front of the shop’s front, getting out his own can of spray paint.  </p><p>“That was fun.” He said cheerily, stretching his arms up into the night’s sky, before spraying the image of the first, red dragonhead with practiced strokes on the street.</p><p>“It was.” Lucy agreed, meaning it fully, whilst making sure the star’s ten spikes were all of the same length.</p><p>Not even the trip to the location had been boring, with Natsu keeping up amusing conversations, or the short ‘who-can-do-the-best-flip’-competition (he won, but Happy had been deemed judge, and Lucy believed that he was a little bias), made for a very entertaining journey.</p><p>She finished with the key, watching for a few moments as Natsu finished off his more detailed emblem; the three dragonheads chasing each other in a circle with silent roars.</p><p>When he was done, they both climbed onto the rooftops, heading north-west, to return to their homely part of the city.</p><p>There was a beat of silence between the two, with Natsu looking at her expectantly.</p><p>“What is it?” Lucy questioned.</p><p>“Are you gonna mention it, or should I?”</p><p>“Mention what?” She asked again, although she had an idea of what he was hinting at.</p><p>“Your nakama following us?!” He said in exasperation, giving a barely discernable nod to the large chimney, two houses over.</p><p>Lucy sighed. She’d really hoped he hadn’t noticed them. Mavis, this was embarrassing. Now he would think she needed babysitters.</p><p>“I mean, why are they even trying to hide?” Natsu continued, as they walked over the roofs. “And why did the biggest ones follow you? I’m pretty sure the cow-guy tried to hide behind a lamppost at one point.”</p><p>Oh Mavis, he’d seen that too.</p><p>“I’m sorry.” Lucy mumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. “My guild, well, actually just six of them, they follow me sometimes...to make sure I’m safe. I don’t need it! And I’ve asked them to stop, but well, they...worry.”</p><p>Natsu watched her reddening face, as she went on her embarrassed explanation, letting Happy clamber into his backpack.</p><p>“No need to apologize, Luce.” His reassuring grin was illuminated from the few functioning streetlamps below –one of which Taurus had tried to hide his massive figure behind, only minutes before. “They’re just looking out for ya. It’s what nakama do.”</p><p>“I know. And it’s sweet, I guess, but still...” She trailed off, not entirely sure how to talk about her nakama without hurting Natsu. He was the <em>last</em> Dragon after all.</p><p>They jumped over a gap, both sensing the tall figures moving to follow them.</p><p>Jogging in silence for a while, Natsu motioned her to stop, a mischievous smile on his face.</p><p>“How about another competition, Luce?”</p><p>“Sure, but Happy can’t be judge this time, because that’s-”</p><p>“Nah, nah. Let’s see who can shake a Celestial first.” He motioned inconspicuously behind them.</p><p>“You want to try and lose them?” Lucy clarified, a smile forming on her face as well.</p><p>“Yeah. What do you normally do?”</p><p>“I usually just call them out on it.”</p><p>“Well, if you don’t think you can do it...”</p><p>“Nice try. You’re on. First at the train station, alone?”</p><p>“I’ll wait for you there, Luce.” He replied confidently, positioning himself on one side of the roof.</p><p>“We’ll see about that.” Lucy huffed, taking the other side.</p><p>On a silent count, they jumped off, running in different directions.</p><p>Lucy glanced behind her, seeing the two shadows stand still in confusion for a second, before they parted, each heading after one of them.</p><p>Lady Luck was on her side tonight, as she saw the bulking figure of Taurus following her trail. Natsu would have a more difficult time.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Natsu panted, as he arrived at the old train station. He was not surprised to see Lucy, sitting in one of the empty window frames, grinning at him.</p><p>“I thought you wanted to beat me here, Natsu.” She called over innocently.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah.” He huffed as she made room, so he could sit down beside her. “That was not fair! You definitely got the easier one. Horse-guy has eyes like a freaking hawk!”</p><p>His job-partner chuckled at his exhausted figure. “That’s Sagittarius. He’s an archer. I’m honestly surprised you managed to lose him at all.”</p><p>It certainly hadn’t been easy! Natsu had lost count of all the U-turns, backtracks and hiding behind dumpsters, he’d had to do to be sure the tall man in a horse-onesie had lost his trail.</p><p>“Who’s the guy following you?” He asked, fishing out his water bottle beside his blue roommate.</p><p>“Taurus. The –I can say with all confidence- least stealthy member of our guild.”</p><p>“Unfair.” Natsu muttered again, half-jokingly. “So not all of them follow you on missions?”</p><p>He didn’t want the conversation to end already. Being around Lucy was fun and he didn’t want to go back to his silent apartment just yet.</p><p>“No, not all of them. Capricorn, for example, he’s the one with the white beard. He says ‘sorry’, by the way, for nearly hitting you with that book-”</p><p>“Because it would’ve hurt me, or because the book could’ve gotten a dent?”</p><p>“...not too sure, both probably. Anyway, he and his partner agree that I can take care of myself, same with...”</p><p>Natsu listened, as Lucy went on talking about the blue haired woman –Aunt Aquarius- and Scorpio. He’d noticed how she’d gotten awkward about talking about her nakama before, on the rooftops. And he couldn’t help but feel that it was partly due to his guild’s history. He guessed she must’ve been around twelve when <em>it</em> had happened. And her guild was connected well enough for her to have heard about it.</p><p>Meaning, she didn’t want to rub his face in the love of her nakama, but Natsu wanted to prove to himself, and the universe, that he could handle it.</p><p>“...So, now that I’ve won this little competition...” Lucy started, pulling him out of his determined thoughts. “...I get to pick the next mission!”</p><p>“Alright.” Natsu tried to keep his voice even, not to let too much of the bubbling happiness inside him seep out that this hadn’t been a one-time, thanks-for-bringing-my-backpack-back-mission.</p><p>Lucy smiled at him, before stretching her arms and jumping off the window sill. “I should get back. See you soon Natsu?”</p><p>“See ya, Luce.”</p><p>With a wave, she was gone, jumping over the roofs, heading further north to her guild.</p><p>Natsu stayed for a few minutes more. He’d listened to her talking of her guild. And he was doing fine. He didn’t feel the gunshot-like pang of loss, not more than usual. And he was looking forward to seeing his new friend again, with no fear of being reminded of his family.</p><p>It looked like –dare he say it?- things were finally looking up for him.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>He’d found his target. And ‘The Last Dragon’ wasn’t alone.</p><p>He’d found him through the unmistakable explosion of a warehouse in the middle of the night. He’d sprinted towards the sound to see multiple people running out of the burning building, some carrying –obviously- fake stacks of money.</p><p>Counterfeiters. So this was the doing of assassins on a mission. He was about to leave and go back to his impossible task of finding one person in the country’s capital, when fate/destiny/luck did him a favor. The signature spiky, pink head of hair looked around a corner, a stupid grin on the corresponding face.</p><p>He almost lost all of his restraint and jumped that idiotic nuisance right there and then from his concealed spot on a dark rooftop, when another figure came from behind the safety of the corner.</p><p>“Natsu! I thought you said this would be a ‘small, contained explosion’! Just to scare them out?!” Another teenager yelled, the female blonde gesturing wildly to the smoky remains, glaring at the pinkette.</p><p>“It worked, didn’t it?” His target replied with a huff, grabbing one of the scared crooks by the collar to stop him from running away.</p><p>The heavily armed blonde started lectured him on <em>‘unnecessary destruction of property’</em> whilst the two rounded up the rest of the counterfeiters with such ease, it seemed more like a secondary occupation besides their conversation.</p><p>Since when did that damn Dragon have a partner? He’d heard nothing of the sorts when he’d started asking questions about that doomed fool. Or was this a one-time-collaboration? Dragons had a reputation for that after all.</p><p>He retreated further into the shadows, as the cars of the I.P. showed up. Pesky cops. Everywhere those meddlers were.</p><p>A middle-aged, tired-looking officer continued the blonde’s lecture –‘Luce’ as the Dragon had called her- on properly preserving evidence. And fire safety. There had been a whole section on fire safety.</p><p>The criminals (respectable businessmen, if you’d ask him) were loaded into the <em>police</em> cars and driven off, but his attention was on the two teens, who’d started their own way over the roofs, away from him. He followed. Staying a generous distance away from them, but keeping his eyes and ears open as not to lose them in the chaos that was the city-layout of Crocus. And that’s when the universe remembered that he could never have it that easy. Because he might’ve found his mark, but that night had another surprise in store for him.</p><p>The two teens slowed down once they reached ‘Royal Garden’s Street’ in the northern part of the oversized city. The girl dropped to the ground, entering a dark blue, tall building through the front door. His target –strangely enough- clambered his way to the top of the house and slipped in through a circular window on the slanted roof. What...?</p><p>He shook his head. He wasn’t there to find out about teen romance, only to find information on the Dragon. So this had to be <em>Luce’s</em> house, not his place of residence. He’d have to find that too.</p><p>Focusing his eyes onto the front door of the house, he tried to maybe make out a name or something like that, but he got much more info than he’d bargained for. The golden paint of the painted key practically glowed in the darkness.</p><p>The Celestial key.  </p><p>He cursed into the night sky. This could not be real. Why did the universe have to play such games with him?</p><p>Yes, he’d found his target; a feat near impossible, considering the size and population of Crocus. And, last he’d heard, Natsu worked alone. The hardest thing on his personal mission should’ve been the ‘finding’-part. But now...</p><p>He was friends –if not partners- with a Mavis-damn Celestial assassin!</p><p>This was bad news. Real bad news. A single assassin, no matter how well trained, with no friends, no nakama and no connections, would’ve been easily disposed of. But this...</p><p>The man took a deep breath, crouching further into the shadows. This was a complication. A major set-back in his not yet fully developed plan. But he could work with this. It might not be so easy now, but he would not be deterred from his mission.</p><p>Everything inside of him screamed for vengeance, but he rained those feelings back in, saving them for when the time would come.</p><p>He was good; but not ‘take on eleven Celestials’-good. No one was. So he couldn’t get them involved. This would require a great amount of planning and coordination and more luck than he’d like to depend on, but it could work.</p><p>He swore that to all the stars above him. He would make the final Dragon pay.</p><p>Natsu of the Dragons would not get away with the murder of the man’s nakama.</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Lucy rushed past them after she’d entered the guild, giving a quick ‘good-night’ before jumping up the steps. No one had followed her tonight, because –once again- she hadn’t told them about it.</p><p>Cancer chuckled quietly to himself, focusing back on his work. After many minutes of him begging, Aquarius had finally lamented and allowed him to try out a new hairstyle on her, since they’d be staying up anyway to wait for Lucy’s return. Her endless, smooth hair were a dream to work with for the hairstylist, who was momentarily braiding and twisting the strands into a masterpiece of fashion.</p><p>“You know, when I go to sleep, it will be ruined, right?” Aquarius asked over her shoulder.</p><p>“Worth it, baby.” He replied, gently nudging her head back so that she was looking forward again.</p><p>The assembled assassins –that being Scorpio, Capricorn, Gemini, Virgo, himself and <strike>his guinea pig</strike> Aquarius- sat around the kitchen island, with the other four out on their own missions.</p><p>Gemini was half dozing, half reading the newspaper (comic section), whilst Virgo <em>entertained</em> herself by cleaning the oven. His partner was reading a non-fiction book about the solar system, most likely preparing himself mentally for his next spar with Loke. Scorpio was scrolling through the website, occasionally reading out missions to Aquarius, who either hummed in agreement or denial.</p><p>Just as he heard Lucy’s door closing, did the little –perfectly styled- hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Despite the tinted windows, Cancer carried on with his work, but exchanged a glance with his partner over the tops of their sunglasses.</p><p>Gemini sat up straighter and Virgo’s head popped out of the oven –Mavis knows how she’d seen him from there.</p><p>“You see him too?” Aquarius asked calmly, staying still.</p><p>“Across the street, three houses to our left.” Scorpio reported, not looking up from the tablet.</p><p>“Shall I go puni- investigate?” Virgo asked, dusting off her pinafore.</p><p>“Please do.” Aquarius said and with a little bow, Virgo vanished around the corner.</p><p>“Are you thinking Rune Knight?” Cancer asked casually, referring to the outline of a head that had been briefly visible on the rooftop across from them.</p><p>“No, I don’t think so.” Aquarius replied relaxed. “I’m sure I saw spiky hair. Knights wear helmets.”</p><p>“Perhaps incognito.” Capricorn added.</p><p>“Maybe.”</p><p>There was no panic about being spied on. It was a package-deal in their profession and after ‘meeting’ Virgo once, people tended to not come back and try again.</p><p>“He was gone.”</p><p>Scorpio jumped a little, when Virgo stood behind him, giving her report to Aquarius.</p><p>“Before you could identify him?”</p><p>“Yes. All I could make out was some cursing. I believe he heard me coming.”</p><p>“Someone heard you coming?!” Gemini asked astounded. “That’s...never happened before.”</p><p>“Punishment?”</p><p>“No, Virgo.” The group chorused.</p><p>“He probably left before you even went out.” Aquarius said diplomatically. “I doubt it’s anything to worry about. Maybe he was just curious and if he, or anyone else, should come back, we’ll ask them then.”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Grandpa Crux was –to the honest people of Crocus- known as a kind, sleepy, old man with a small book shop, who liked to chat about every topic you’d start him on, but especially about the freshest of gossip.</p><p>To the not so honest people, Grandpa Crux was known as the man who knew everything about everyone, everywhere in Crocus (and the greater parts of Fiore too). And instead of selling the wanted secrets for cold, hard cash to the highest bidder, the old man swapped information.</p><p>If you didn’t have the right characteristics for a pleasant conversation, the patience for when he searched his mind for information, nor the proper manners to offer the facts he asked for in return, you were not welcome in Grandpa Crux’s bookshop.</p><p>Luckily, Lucy had all three.</p><p>She and Natsu were sitting in the backroom of the bookshop, the old man with the large mustache pouring them each a cup of tea.</p><p>“Lucy, Natsu. I heard rumors that you two are working together now.” He said, taking a sip of his tea. “And I must say, I’m very glad they are true. It’s good to see you making friends, Natsu. But I assume that that’s not why you’ve come visit me today.”</p><p>Lucy nodded, offering him one of the pastries she’d brought with them (another way of guaranteeing you’d get the right information).</p><p>“We found this one mission, which sounds very promising and interesting, but also a little...strange. We want to make sure it’s not a fake request.”</p><p>They’d gone on a mission last week –which resulted in the destruction of a –thankfully- abandoned warehouse, along with plenty of usable evidence, such as the printing press of the counterfeiters- and neither wanted to stop there. No matter how many buildings he turned into ashes, Lucy really likes working with Natsu.</p><p>During that time, he’d dropped in –literally- several times. Without announcement, or invitation, and completely soundless...alright, so sometimes, he’d given her a jump-scare and once (no wait, twice) she’d Lucy-kicked him out of pure instinct.</p><p>She’d also asked him multiple times if he couldn’t knock. To which he’d answered totally straight-faced <em>“knocking is for doors, Luce.”</em>, as if she required further explanation on the topic!</p><p>Natsu took the phase ‘make yourself at home’ quite literally and somehow, Lucy couldn’t find the enthusiasm to care.</p><p>And given the fact that Lucy no longer locked her skylight when she was home, it would be hard to say that she was against him visiting. Because, much like working with him, just ‘hanging out’ was fun too. Plus she got to cuddle with Happy whenever he came around.</p><p>On his last unsuspected, but also kind of suspected, visit, he’d shown her the digital poster of a mission. The one they were gathering information about right now.</p><p>“What does this mission entail?” Grandpa Crux asked, chewing on an éclair.</p><p>“It’s about a guy called Duke Everlue.” Natsu said, using the moment Lucy sipped on her tea to pounce at the pastries. “Someone named Kaby Melon is ready to pay a large amount of money for us to steal one book.”</p><p>“Just one book?” The old man clarified.</p><p>“Yes. That’s the strange part, Grandpa Crux.” Lucy said, moving the plate out of Natsu’s reach. “Do you know of a Kaby Melon?”</p><p>The old man shut his eyes, little snores filling the otherwise quiet room.</p><p>Lucy and Natsu shared a look. They both knew this man long enough to know that he wasn’t sleeping, but thinking.</p><p>The Celestial guild had a good relationship with the bookseller thanks to Virgo. She and the old man would spend hours chatting about...Lucy didn’t even want to know. Grandpa Crux probably knew more about the happenings of their guild than she did.</p><p>“I know very little of a Kaby Melon.” The old man woke with a start. “To my recollection, he’s posted such a request before.”</p><p>“He has?” Lucy asked. To her the mission sounded reasonably simple. Sure, she’d never done a breaking-and-entering mission before, but seeing that <em>Natsu</em> would be her partner on this, she doubted they’d have much difficulty. “So you believe it’s a trap?”</p><p>“No, I don’t think so.” The old man replied, refilling his cup. “Duke Everlue is very real. He is a politician in Shirotsume Town.”</p><p>“Corrupt?” Natsu asked with his mouth full.</p><p>“Of cause. He holds absolute power of that town, like a small-scale dictator. To my recollection, a team of assassins had accepted this mission quite a while ago...”</p><p>“They didn’t succeed?”</p><p>“Much worse. Everlue had them killed when they broke into his mansion.”</p><p>“Killed?!” Lucy exclaimed. What on earth was this book that was worth 200,000 jewels to steal and precious enough to spill blood over? “How did he justify that? Even if he holds all the power, the I.P. or Assassin Council would’ve asked questions, right?”</p><p>“Indeed they did, Lucy. However, I am sad to say, Everlue could not be held accountable. The assassins were trespassing and attempting to steal something from him, so he had every right to <em>defend </em>himself and his property. On the official statement, he claimed <em>“attempted arson” </em>too, I believe.”</p><p>Lucy looked over at Natsu with a worried glance. It would not be hard to pass off anything he did as ‘attempted arson’. If they got caught, this Everlue could easily get away unscathed again. But their inner Assassin’s Pride prevented them from giving up on the mission. They would succeed, she was sure of it. To revenge the fallen assassins and perhaps free a town from a tyrant. And she couldn’t deny that her curiosity about that precious book was growing by the minute.</p><p>Natsu didn’t look the least bit worried, cheering that he’d have someone to beat up when Grandpa Crux told them that Duke Everlue had hired several guards after the last break-in attempt.</p><p>Well, at least they didn’t have to worry about morale.</p><p>“So, Lucy.” Grandpa Crux began, a light twinkling in his eyes. “What’s new with your guild?”</p><p>“Nothing much. Capricorn beat Loke in a spar, when he said that the sun circles around the earth...”</p><p>The old man chuckled. “Speaking of which, are Loke and Aries together yet?”</p><p>“Sadly, no.” Lucy and Grandpa Crux both sighed.</p><p>“Those two like each other?” Natsu mumbled, stuffing two slices of cake into his mouth. By his request, Lucy had told him more of her nakama, so by now Natsu knew their names and the general background information. </p><p>“Oh, it’s so painfully obvious.” Crux exclaimed with Lucy nodding in agreement.</p><p>“Ever since they joined the guild...like eleven years ago...they’d been looking at each other with hearts in their eyes.”</p><p>“Then why don’t they just become boyfriend and girlfriend and all that stuff?”</p><p>“No one knows! Seriously, it’s infuriating.”</p><p>“Indeed. When I asked Loke about it he denied any of it.” The old man said with a displeased huff. “Even a blind man could see it! And the ram was no better; she turned as pink as her hair and would only speak in squeaks the entire time!”</p><p>Lucy shared a sympathetic look with him.</p><p>“What of Scorpio and Aquarius? Are they engaged yet?” He asked hopefully.</p><p>“You know they’re not. You probably would’ve been the first to hear about it, Grandpa Crux.”</p><p>“By Mavis! What is it with you Celestials and confessing feelings?”</p><p>Lucy shrugged helplessly.</p><p>“Ah, well. All in due time I suppose.” He amended, but the blonde was sure she heard him say under his breath: “<em>although that could’ve been a decade earlier!”</em>.</p><p>Soon after, Lucy and Natsu rose to leave. The blonde was already half out the door, thanking the bookseller for the tea and the information, when the old man called out:</p><p>“Natsu, can I speak to you for a second?”</p><p>The pinkette shrugged. “Sure Grandpa. I’ll be right out Luce.”</p><p>Whatever Crux told Natsu, it didn’t take long, but when her job-partner stepped out the shop’s door, he looked more thoughtful than Lucy had ever seen him before.</p><p>“Everything alright?” She asked, falling in step beside him.</p><p>His ‘there are no problems in the world’-grin reappeared immediately, easing her worry. “Of cause, Luce. Just some more rumors.”</p><p>“Anything interesting?”</p><p>“Nah.”</p><p>Lucy decided to let it go. It couldn’t be anything bad, if he took it that easily.</p><p>“Alright, so I’ll see you tomorrow morning at the train station?”</p><p>“Sure, but isn’t that a detour to Shirotsume Town?”</p><p>“I mean the functioning station, in the center of town. Not our train station.”</p><p><em>‘Our’</em>, sounded surprisingly personal and Lucy looked at Natsu to see if he caught it too.</p><p>The pinkette looked at her in horror.</p><p>OK, so maybe ‘our’ did sound a little strange, but it wasn’t so bad as to look at her like she’d jumped straight out of a thriller movie-</p><p>“You mean we have to go by train?!” He yelled, earning them a few surprised stares on the street during the afternoon-shopping-rush.</p><p>“O-Of cause.” Lucy answered perplexed.</p><p>“We can just walk!”</p><p>“Don’t be silly, Natsu. Shirotsume Town is miles away. It would take ages.”</p><p>“So? Fitness is healthy!” He said almost desperately.</p><p>“I have to be back by tomorrow night! We’re having a full-guild dinner and whoever misses it, is on next for laundry duty!”</p><p>“Well...then you take the train and I’ll start walking tonight...”</p><p>He stopped when he saw the disbelieving look on Lucy’s face.</p><p>“Natsu, you can’t hike all night and then expect to defeat that Duke Everlue and all the guards!”</p><p>“Yes I-”</p><p>“No, you can’t. Do you really want to risk getting caught and end as an ‘attempted arsonist’ in the knight’s files?”</p><p>Natsu wanted to argue again, she could tell, but found no arguments that could support his wanted hike. Like the overgrown child he was, he mumbled grumpily as they continued walking down the market street, including but not limited to lines like: <em>‘I wouldn’t go out as an </em>attempted<em> arsonist!’ </em>and <em>‘bossy pants’</em>.</p><p>He cheered up considerably when Lucy got him a chili dog from one of the street vendors...oh Mavis, he really was a child in a young man’s body, wasn’t he?</p><p>They were just about to part ways, when Lucy called after him: “By the way, what do you have against trains?”</p><p>All she heard was a mumbled: “It runs in the family.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sorry this chapter took so long, but I've fallen into the trap of writing scenes from way ahead in the story (just because it's fun) and might've neglected writing the happenings in chronological order. Oops...<br/>But at least now we've gotten an unspecific, first look at a main antagonist! Yay?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Duke Everlue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Motion sickness.</p>
<p>That’s why Natsu didn’t like trains. Lucy learned that very quickly.</p>
<p>He’d shown up at the train station, minutes before their train was due to leave, and it had taken Lucy all of those minutes -plus a good amount of dragging and pushing- to get Natsu on said train.</p>
<p>They’d barely sat down in an empty compartment, before the train lurched forward. Lucy watched in equal parts amazement, surprise and shock as Natsu’s face turned a shade of sickly green and he flopped onto the bench like a stranded fish.</p>
<p>“Eh...Natsu?”</p>
<p>He groaned dramatically.</p>
<p>Seeking help, Lucy looked at Happy, who’d curled up in one of her over-head lockers. Either that cat was magic, or Natsu’s ability of speaking with the little, blue feline was rubbing off on her, but either way, Lucy could’ve sworn his expression said: <em>‘he’s a drama queen’</em>.</p>
<p>That might be true, but judging by the persistent green colour of his face, Natsu wasn’t doing too hot.</p>
<p>“Are you OK?” She tried.</p>
<p>He shook his head weakly. “You’re evil, Luce!”</p>
<p>“Excuse me?”</p>
<p>“For making me go on this train. This is pure eeeeevil!”</p>
<p>“I didn’t know you have motion sickness, you dork!” Lucy shot back, but took pity on his pathetic state.</p>
<p>With a gentler tone, she asked: “Is there anything I can do?”</p>
<p>“Pull the emergency brake so I can walk the rest of the way?” He tried making puppy-eyes at her, but the effect was very quickly destroyed by him jumping to the window and emptying his stomach very loudly. At least they were out of the train station by then.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to do that.”</p>
<p>“What about-”</p>
<p>“No, you’re not jumping off a moving train to walk the rest either.”</p>
<p>“And-”</p>
<p>“Happy can’t fly, Natsu.”</p>
<p>“Could you-”</p>
<p>“I’m not knocking you unconscious.”</p>
<p>He groaned again. “Eeeeevil.”</p>
<p>“Anything realistic I can do?”</p>
<p>He seemed to think for a moment, before getting up and stumbled over to her bench. Before Lucy could ask what he was doing, he flopped down and dropped his head on her lap.</p>
<p>“What-?” She squeaked in surprise. But why was she even surprised? Natsu knew nothing of personal space (as evidenced by him breaking into her room on almost a daily basis).</p>
<p>Happy got her attention with a small, lazy <em>meow</em>.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>
  <em>Meow.</em>
</p>
<p>Dear Mavis, she really was turning into a crazy lady who talked with cats, wasn’t she?</p>
<p>Lucy looked uncertainly at her job-partner, before following Happy’s command and began running her fingers through his hair. It was surprisingly soft, not gelled like she’d assumed. What kind of genetics made someone’s hair stand up in spikes naturally?</p>
<p>Natsu made little –what she could only describe as- happy-noises, interrupting her inner questions. It was a much more pleasant sound than the constant retching noises from before. Lucy was sure that, if he were a cat, he’d be purring.</p>
<p>“This really helps?” She asked the back of Natsu’s head.</p>
<p>He hummed. “Yeah. My aunt used to do this and it would always make us feel better.”</p>
<p>His voice sounded sleepy, but Lucy was intrigued. “You all had motion sickness?”</p>
<p>He nodded his head weakly. “Yeah, except Grandeeney. She’d do this for me and my cousins, whilst our dads puked their guts out the window.”</p>
<p>Lucy pictured that image. Poor Grandeeney.</p>
<p>“We didn’t take the train much.” He explained sleepily. Lucy stayed quiet and a few moments later she felt Natsu’s chest move in slow, deep breaths, little snores filling the otherwise quiet compartment.</p>
<p>Grandeeney. She knew that name. Of cause she did, everyone who hadn’t been living under a rock knew of the Dragon guild. And their fate.</p>
<p>There had been six of them in total, but only three “legal” assassins; the founders. Grandeeney had been one of them. The other two were Metalicana and Igneel.</p>
<p>The Celestials didn’t do collaborations, so Lucy had never met them in person. She’d seen pictures though, at one of the meetings shortly after the elimination of Natsu’s guild.</p>
<p>Grandeeney had smiled kindly into the camera, luscious, white hair flowing around her like clouds. There had been nothing about her that screamed ‘danger’, but you couldn’t get a reputation as an assassin without knowing how to hide a body. Metalicana’s photo had been a mugshot –presumably from an undercover mission- and he looked like he was trying to make up for Grandeeney’s sweet smile. If looks could kill, then the poor I.P. officer who’d taken that photo, would’ve been six feet underground. Menacing, red eyes had stared straight out of the projected image, partnered with a mean smile that had made many of the assembled assassins take a step back. The black spikes of his hair had well passed the seven foot mark on the wall behind him, and the numerous piercings only helped his ‘run while you still can’-appearance. And lastly, there had been a flaming red headed man, who’d gone for the middle ground between ‘sweet’ and ‘downright scary’; grinning confidently to the crowd of assassins, whilst flexing one of his heavily muscled arms in the frozen image.</p>
<p>Now that Lucy knew <em>The Last Dragon</em>, it wasn’t a far stretch to link the ginger man’s grin to that of her job-partner.</p>
<p>There had been no pictures of his cousins, the two other junior Dragons, due to the fact that their parents had made sure to keep them out of any assassin-related news or photos. Sure, Rune Knights could try and jump a grown and experiences assassin, but children born into guilds were a different matter. Aquarius had kept Lucy away from “the public” until her first mission, when she’d turned fourteen. It was a simple safety precaution.</p>
<p>She’d kept up with moving her fingers through his hair, whilst pondering once again how Natsu could –after losing everything- still be Natsu. Asking him about it had always seemed too personal...poorly timed...inappropriate? Because it would inevitably bring on a surge of sadness and she didn’t want to be the one who made the happy pinkette loose his smile.</p>
<p>As Lucy was still thinking about that, Happy made a little noise. She looked up to the over-head compartments, to see the cat staring at the two of them with a shit-eating smile on display. Was that even biologically possible for cats?</p>
<p>“What?” She hissed, wary of not waking Natsu and starting another round of ‘sprints to the window’.</p>
<p>Happy’s smile widened, making him look like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.</p>
<p>“Wha-, no I don’t-, shut up, you stupid cat.”</p>
<p>Still doing what Lucy interpreted as a cat-grin, Happy lazily rolled over. He was ignoring her! Arrogant cat.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natsu’s eyes flew open, as the train slowed to a stop.</p>
<p>“WE’VE STOPPED MOVING!” He yelled, grabbing his backpack and Happy, and ran down the train’s corridor like it was the final meters before the end of a marathon. “WE’VE FINALLY STOPPED MOVING!”</p>
<p>Lucy followed, smiling sheepishly at the other passengers.</p>
<p>Natsu was on the platform, cartwheeling around with a wide grin on his face.</p>
<p>She felt a little guilty when telling him that, no this wasn’t Shirotsume Town. This was where they’d get their connecting train.</p>
<p>More hair-stroking, green faces and emptying of stomachs ensued.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After “WE’VE STOPPED MOVING!”-Round 2, which included Natsu hugging a lamppost, they stepped off the little station in Shirotsume Town (for real this time).</p>
<p>From the looks of it, it was a small and clean -by Crocus standards- town, with rows of single, brick houses and paved streets. It was around midday, so people were bustling around, street-vendors sold their wares and children ran about in the market square.</p>
<p>Natsu darted for the first cart with a hot-dog sign above it, ordering five with everything. Whilst the vendor watched with equal parts horror and awe, offering a napkin to the messy pinkette, Lucy asked conversationally:</p>
<p>“So, Duke Everlue is in charge here, right?”</p>
<p>“That’s right.” The man said, wiping the surface of his cart. “He’s the mayor.”</p>
<p>“Yeah.” An old woman behind a nearby fruits stand heckled. “The last election was twenty-seven years ago.”</p>
<p>Interesting.</p>
<p>“Because we didn’t need one!” The man said hurriedly, looking around panicked, as if thinking the man himself would jump from the nearest corner.</p>
<p>“The town is doing quite well for itself, isn’t it?” Lucy asked in the direction of the older woman, sensing that she’d get more information out of her.</p>
<p>“Pha! It’s all one big-”</p>
<p>“Duke Everlue takes good care of our town!” The hot-dog vendor insisted.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” The old woman huffed. “Or else the money laundering would be too obvious, wouldn’t it?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know what you’re talking about!” Sweat was forming on the man’s forehead. “I don’t even know her!” He said loudly, before quickly wheeling his cart away from them.</p>
<p>“Money laundering?” Lucy leaned closer to the woman. Maybe this was what their mission was about. To get a book of files on the duke’s shady business, exposing it so openly that not even the Rune Knights could protect him.</p>
<p>“Definitely.” The elderly woman said conspiratorially. “That guy is involved with so much fraud, you could fill a book with it!-”</p>
<p>Very interesting.</p>
<p>“-But everyone here is too chicken to talk about it!” She glared around the market place.</p>
<p>“Isn’t it still good for the town though?” Natsu joined them, polishing off his last hot-dog with gusto. </p>
<p>“Pha! Look around, sugar! Everything sparkles outside, but inside the houses are crumbling. The <em>duke</em> taxes like a mad man and he got rid of our guild as soon as he stepped into power.”</p>
<p>She looked at the two teens –plus one cat- in front of her, scrutinizing Natsu’s bizarre outfit and the whip on Lucy’s hip. It wasn’t uncommon for people to walk around armed, even during the day -at least not in Crocus- but it might catch some eyes in a town like this.</p>
<p>“Have this.” She tossed them each a rosy, red apple from the pile in front of her.</p>
<p>Before Lucy could object, she added “For good luck.” with a knowing smile.</p>
<p>“And also for vitamins!” She called, after they’d thanked her. “Seriously, sugar. You keep eating like that, you’ll get a heart-attack!”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>“You mean this book has nothing to do with the fraud and laundering going on here?!” Lucy exclaimed in surprise, soon after they’d sat down with their client.</p>
<p>Kaby Melon shook his grey haired head.</p>
<p>“Then, if you don’t mind my asking, why do you want it destroyed?”</p>
<p>Natsu shrugged. “For 200,000 jewels, who cares?”</p>
<p>“I cannot allow ‘Daybreak’ to exist any longer!” The man said darkly. “And also, the reward has been moved up to 2 million jewels.”</p>
<p>“TWO MILLION?!” Both assassins yelled in unison.</p>
<p>What on earth was this book that was worth 2 MILLION (!) jewels to destroy?</p>
<p>“Alright! For that kinda money, I’d just burn his house down! C’mon Luce!” Natsu jumped up and dragged Lucy out of Mr. Melon’s mansion, whilst the blonde reminded him of their conversation about attempted arson.</p>
<p>“Exactly, Luce. It won’t be <em>attempted</em>.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>By the time the trio reached the edge of the forest bordering the duke’s impressive mansion grounds, Lucy had managed to talk Natsu out of turning the entire building to ashes, arguing that they wouldn't be able to be 100% certain that the book was destroyed too. </p>
<p>The sun was still high in the sky and neither had the time (Lucy) or the patience (Natsu) to wait until nightfall to start on Operation Daybreak. They’d have to be extra sneaky and discrete.</p>
<p>Natsu hadn’t been able to take his staff, since it would’ve drawn too much attention and Lucy only brought her inconspicuous set of knifes, meaning that Taurus’ axe-handle, the short rapier from Scorpio and Aries’ dagger had stayed behind in her room.</p>
<p>“Ready Luce?” Natsu asked, enthusiasm pouring off him in waves, as he eagerly stared at their target; the mansion. He connected a small tube from his gloves to the black wrist-guards that looked like thick bracelets on first glance. During their last mission, he’d explained that those were actually hollow and the place where he stored the necessary butane gas, which fed the flame-throwing gloves.</p>
<p>“Ready.”</p>
<p><em>Me-aye-ow</em>.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ah, more foolish assassins who tried to take what was not theirs. Hadn’t he taught the last bunch not to touch his things?</p>
<p>Duke Everlue sat in an armchair watching the live video feed from the cameras hidden around his home. He laughed darkly, whilst one of his maids handed him a cool drink.</p>
<p>He’d have his fun with these imprudent children! He’d teach them the same lesson as those fools years back! He’d show the world once again that you did not mess with the great and powerful- WAS THAT A CELESTIAL KEY?</p>
<p>Everlue choked on his drink, sunken eyes staring at the close up of the female assassin. Specifically, her left hand. That was their key alright. He knew it all too well, because years ago, he’d received numerous, threatening letters concerning a former employee of his. All signed with different emblems, yet all containing that symbol.</p>
<p>He growled at the blonde on screen. Had she come to carry out those, often very descriptive, threats to his life? But why?</p>
<p>As soon as those letters had started arriving, he’d done his research on who those emblems belonged to. It had quickly led them to a guild he’d heard of: The Celestials of Crocus, led by the famous Layla. Too far out of his reach to squash them himself. And the local Rune Knights were too <em>scared</em> to do anything about them. Bunch of cowards.</p>
<p>But the last letters had arrived over a decade ago. Why was one of them now on his doorstep? False, not doorstep; scaling the walls of his mansion with her partner in crime and levelling open a window?! How had they gotten past the guards? Everlue flicked through the different feeds, before getting his answer in the two unconscious forms of his hired hands, lying just behind the forest’s edge.</p>
<p>Alright, no need to panic. He was the almighty Everlue, after all. He’d get all the answers he was after. First and foremost: what <em>they</em> were after.</p>
<p>He held a button for the intercom. “Get ready.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Why did mansions have to be so big? And so well lit? Natsu, at first, had tried to ninja his way through the endless corridors. But the fact that Lucy wasn’t playing along and that there was nowhere to hide, made it kinda pointless.</p>
<p>“It’s really quiet.” Lucy whispered, looking down yet another empty hallway.</p>
<p>“Maybe everyone’s out?” Natsu suggested. The window he’d broken open had let them into a little storage room. A locked storage room. So when no one came running, after he’d busted the door open, it was a sure bet that the owner of the mansion wasn’t home.</p>
<p>Perhaps this would be an easy, very well-paying mission; the universe’s way of making it up to him that he’d been on two trains today.</p>
<p>When they eventually found (stumbled into) the giant room that served as a library, the number of books was disheartening. There were rows upon rows of them, stacked so high in shelves that ladders were positioned around.</p>
<p>“How are we supposed to find <em>one</em> book...in this?” Natsu yelled, gesturing wildly to all the shelves around them and taking a second to take in a huge, horrendous, golden statue of a potato-shaped man.</p>
<p>Lucy shushed him about noise, before climbing onto one of the ladders. “We just start looking. Hopefully we’ll be in and out before the duke even realizes anyone was here-”</p>
<p>“Found it.”</p>
<p>“Sorry?”</p>
<p>Natsu held up a thick volume. “It’s bright yellow. And has ‘DAYBREAK’ written on it in big letters. And it was on eye-level.”</p>
<p>“Wow.” Lucy slid down the ladder. “That’s great.”</p>
<p>“Looks like this really is an easy mission.” Natsu grinned. “You hear that buddy? We’re done already!”</p>
<p>An enthusiastic <em>meow</em> came from his backpack and Happy peaked his head out.</p>
<p>Why did he have to jinx it?</p>
<p>Lucy had taken the book, examining the cover, when suddenly the ground beneath them started to shake.</p>
<p>“What...?” She squeaked.</p>
<p>“An earthquake?!” Natsu yelled.</p>
<p>He tried holding onto her, but as the tiles on the ground started parting, both assassins were forced to jump on opposite sides of the room. In a twisted version of hopscotch, Natsu leapt over the forming gaps to avoid falling into the darkness that opened up before him, trying his best not to let his vision blur at the movement of the floor.</p>
<p>A platform rose from the hole in the middle of the room, the tiles closing neatly around it, effectively ending the shaking that had made Natsu’s stomach flip.</p>
<p>A man, as wide as he was tall, stood on the risen platform, wearing a black suit and a toupee that Natsu guessed was supposed to pass as hair. It was the guy from the ugly statue. A moustache –or was that nose hair?- framed a mean grin, as the little man stared down at them.</p>
<p>“So, you intruders are after Day-”</p>
<p>“Luce, are you alright?” Natsu called over to the other side of the room, ignoring the man’s theatrical entrance, instead focusing on what was important here.</p>
<p>“I’m fine. What about you? You look a little green.” She was clutching the prized book to her chest, the same way he was holding Happy, who was giving the little man an unimpressed look.</p>
<p>“All good over here.” He flashed her a grin.</p>
<p>“HEY!” The man, Natsu assumed Everlue, shouted angrily, stomping his feet. “How dare you break into <em>my</em> mansion and steal <em>my </em>book?”</p>
<p>Lucy shot him a look across the room. Natsu knew what that meant. <em>Distract him.</em> She flipped open the cover, scanning the first pages.</p>
<p>Was she seriously reading the book they were supposed to destroy?! A time and a place, Luce!</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, dude.” He said, loud enough for the duke to look at him, turning his back on Natsu’s job-partner. “We don’t want to steal it. We’re gonna destroy it.”</p>
<p>“WHAT? How dare you?! Don’t you know who I am, you little, snot-nosed brat? I am the great, the magnificent, the- HEY! GET YOUR FILTHY HANDS OFF MY BOOK!”</p>
<p>He was glaring at Lucy, who looked up from the page with a deep frown. “I think there is a secret to this book, Natsu.”</p>
<p>“A secret?!” Both the pinkette and the duke exclaimed.</p>
<p>“I’m going to read it!” She called over.</p>
<p>HUH?! This was really not what they’d come for!</p>
<p>“ENOUGH OF THIS! Hand over <em>my</em> book, ugly!” The duke yelled.</p>
<p>Ugly? Lucy? Was this guy blind? Natsu would’ve asked him that, if the little man hadn’t pulled out a remote and dramatically shouted:</p>
<p>“VANISHING BROTHERS!”</p>
<p>Two of the bookshelves parted close by him, revealing two men standing behind them. This mission was getting interesting. At the prospect of a good fight, Natsu suddenly didn’t mind that their objective had shifted from ‘destroy’ to ‘reading session’.</p>
<p>“I’ll buy you some time, Luce!”</p>
<p>“Are you sure-”</p>
<p>“Go, I’ll be fine.”</p>
<p>She returned his smile, before sprinting out the nearest door, nose already stuck between the pages.</p>
<p>“HEY! GET BACK HERE!” The chubby man yelled, but seeing that Lucy wouldn’t obey that command, he turned to the two men. “I’ll go after the girl. Eliminate the brat!” And with another click of the remote, his platform began moving underground again.</p>
<p>Something about that confident grin didn’t sit right with Natsu. He knew Lucy could take that guy in her sleep, but he’d already made the Mavis-damn floor shake, so there was no telling what other tricks he had up his sleeve.</p>
<p>“Happy, go help Lucy.”</p>
<p>His roommate looked at him.</p>
<p>“I’ll be fine on my own. Go on.”</p>
<p><em>Me-aye-ow.</em> And Happy was skidding on the tiles, darting out the door to follow their blonde friend.</p>
<p>The two men –one with no discernable weapons, the other with a huge frying pan strapped to his back- stood in his way, glaring down at him.</p>
<p>“Come on then, little assassin.” One said, moving his hands in the universal sign of ‘come at me’.</p>
<p>Natsu let a few sparks dance across his fingers. “I’m all fired u-”</p>
<p>
  <em>RIIIIING RIIIIING RIIIIING</em>
</p>
<p>His phone rang. What in Zeref’s name...?</p>
<p>“Sorry, could you give me a minute?” He fished for his phone in his pocket, earning himself a couple of incredulous looks from the brothers.</p>
<p>He hit ‘accept’ for the incoming video-call from a strange number. He was supposed to be buying Lucy time, after all.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Natsu? Thank Mavis. Where’s Lucy?”</em>
</p>
<p>Multiple faces were crammed into the image. The faces of Lucy’s nakama...what...?</p>
<p>“Ginger- I mean, Loke?!” Natsu stared back at the other man across the line. “What are you-”</p>
<p>“Enough of this!” One of the brothers bellowed. “Face us and your doom!”</p>
<p>Really, what was it with Celestials and really poorly times activities whilst he was on a mission?! Lucy reading, them calling, could they not do this in their free time? How did they even get his number?</p>
<p>His surprise was cut short by him ducking beneath the frying pan.</p>
<p>“Listen, lion-guy. This isn’t really a good time...” He flipped back, dodging a kick from the other one.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Natsu, this is important. Where-”</em>
</p>
<p>He didn’t catch the rest, as he twisted out of the way of the pan, which hit the floor so hard the tiles shattered with a cloud crack.</p>
<p>Alright, fighting and staying on the phone. Nothing he’d done before, but hey, what was the point of missions if not to gather new experiences?</p>
<p>Multi-tasking it was then.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>No points for guessing who the former employee of Everlue is. ;)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Videocall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“We might have a problem.”</p><p>Loke didn’t know how many conversations had started with that sentence in their guild. And how many of those were started by him.</p><p>He darted to the living room, where the Celestials not on a mission sat. Aquarius was being aided by Scorpio and Virgo with paperwork from the Assassin Council. Gemini sat in one of the armchairs, reading a borrowed Sherlock Holmes novel, his bad leg propped up on an ottoman. Aries looked up from her knitting.</p><p>“What kind of problem?” Aquarius asked with practiced boredom in her voice, scanning over a news report from the council. </p><p>He stepped further into the living room, tablet in hand. “The kind Lucy is in and couldn’t technically know about and it’s kind of our fault...”</p><p>“What are you talking about?” Aquarius sounded annoyed, but Loke knew he got her attention as soon as he’d said ‘Lucy’.</p><p>“Princess is in trouble?” Virgo asked, straightening up, presumably ready to vanish and appear right by their youngest’s side, if need be.</p><p>“Well, I don’t know exactly, it’s a little weird and completely chanced and-”</p><p>“Spit it out, Loke.” Aquarius glowered.</p><p>“So, Lucy’s laptop was updating, and she wanted to view a mission Natsu had send her, so she asked to borrow my tablet and forgot to log out-”</p><p>Aquarius growled and Scorpio made subtle signs for him to hurry up.</p><p>“-after Aries and I joined, you once told us of a certain Everlue...”</p><p>Gemini’s head peaked up at this. “Everlue?!”</p><p>“Yeah. Lucy and Natsu accepted a mission that involves destroying a book from a ‘Duke Everlue, Mayor of Shirotsume Town’...this wouldn’t be the same Everlue you told us about, would it?” He asked nervously.</p><p>Aquarius cursed. “You mean the guy we threatened multiple times? I believe that’s him.”</p><p>Virgo looked up in surprise. “Threatened?”</p><p> </p><p>It had been over a decade ago when he and Aries had just joined the guild. Layla had assembled a secret meeting, without a six-year-old Lucy and a Virgo in her late teens. To this day Loke didn’t know how Layla had managed to pull that off, without Virgo finding out about it. Perhaps she’d been sleeping, or charging, or changing her batteries, or contacting her home planet...</p><p>Layla had explained how things worked in their guild. As was tradition with the Celestials; they shared their enemies. Virgo had previously worked for an emotionally abusive asshat (her words, not his) by the name of Duke Everlue, a corrupt politician of the mentally unstable kind. Loke knew the policies on ‘personal-’ and ‘hired missions’, so he understood that they couldn’t just kill the guy. Assassins’ Rules existed for that very reason.</p><p>So, each Celestial had written a very descriptive and very threatening letter to the Everlue-guy (apparently Gemini had written whole paragraphs after he’d joined), to make sure that, if the duke should try anything, he’d know what was in store for him.</p><p>Layla had said that, if Karen Lilica were still alive, they’d do the same to her. That’s the precise moment Loke had felt at home in the guild.</p><p>As the last members to join, theirs had been the latest letters to the duke.</p><p>He’d asked if there were any more blasts-from-the-past they should be looking out for. Layla had shaken her head.</p><p>“Not really. Taurus became an assassin for the sheer heck of it; Sagittarius became friends with him and never left; Aquarius and Scorpio already destroyed that factory; Capricorn became fed up with the knights after they shut down the university he was teaching in; similar story with Cancer; Virgo, you know now; Gemini killed over a dozen Rune Knights after they picked the wrong fight;-”</p><p>Loke had looked over to the dozing man, a new respect growing for him. And wariness.</p><p>“-you said Karen is dead; and there are no ghosts from my past coming anytime soon, so we’re all good.” She’d said with a cheery smile that he saw so often on Lucy now.</p><p>Aquarius had harrumphed at that last part but hadn’t gone into further detail.</p><p>Only years later would Loke learn that there had been a lot more than ghosts out to get their first leader. But by then it had been too late.</p><p> </p><p>“So, you’re saying Lucy has gone to the duke’s mansion, with no clue that he might hold a grudge against anyone with the Celestial name?” Scorpio stated, bringing the lion back to the present.</p><p>“Precisely.”</p><p>Aquarius cursed again –like the secret sailor she was- jumping up from the couch, phone in hand. It rang a couple of times, before Lucy’s voicemail sounded through the speaker.</p><p>“Of cause, she has her phone off during a mission! We taught her that!”</p><p>“Threatened?” Virgo asked again.</p><p>“Thousands of requests!” Aquarius started pacing the length of the room, making Loke jump out of her path. “Thousands! And they pick the <em>one</em> where the target has a longtime grudge against us! The ONE!”</p><p>Not quite true, Loke thought. With their guild being as successful as it was, there had to be hundreds, if not thousands, of criminals out there who hated them. But the little spark of self-preservation that he had, told him not to give voice to his thoughts, whilst a worried/angry/distressed Aquarius was in the immediate proximity.</p><p>“What about Natsu?” Aries said quietly.</p><p>“What about him?”</p><p>“He might have his phone on.”</p><p>“But we don’t have his number.” Scorpio said.</p><p>“Actually...” Loke sat down, resting the tablet on his knees. “We might have his number...”</p><p>“How?” Aquarius asked, stopping her pacing to lean over his shoulder.</p><p>“Remember when I said a joined database would be the most practical decision, so then we don’t all have to save contact information individually?”</p><p>“Not really.”</p><p>“Not surprised. But that means, if Lucy saved his number on her phone, we’ll have him in out contacts as well.”</p><p>“That works?” Scorpio.</p><p>“We have a joined database?” Aquarius.</p><p>“What’s a database?” Gemini.</p><p>Sometimes the technological knowledge of his nakama frightened Loke.</p><p>“It looks like you’re finally good for something.” Aquarius patted his shoulder.</p><p>“Aw, thanks- wait, <em>finally</em>?! I’ve been here eleven years!”</p><p>Aquarius made no move to correct herself and he might’ve pressed further, had it not been for the light laugh that escaped from Aries’ mouth. His pride could take a hit, just to hear that sound.</p><p>“Well, what are you waiting for, kid? An invitation?” Gemini piped up from his armchair, ruining the moment.</p><p>Loke resulted to an annoyed huff, not going to start an argument whilst Lucy was in possible danger, typing the number under ‘Natsu’ into his phone.</p><p>Luckily, Lucy had the good sense to call her contacts normal names. Glancing quickly over the collected, saved numbers from their nakama, Loke had no clue who most of them were supposed to be. ‘guy from the thing’, ‘the one with glasses’ and ‘idk’ were not very helpful.</p><p>Natsu’s phone rang on the other line. The five Celestials scootched closer to him, all trying to see the screen.</p><p>“Threatened?” Virgo tried again but was shushed as the ringing abruptly stopped.</p><p>Natsu’s face appeared on the screen, looking -understandably- confused.</p><p>“Natsu? Thank Mavis. Where’s Lucy?” Loke breathed a sigh of relief.</p><p><em>“Ginger- I mean, Loke?!”</em> Natsu looked at their six faces, squished into the frame of his phone. <em>“What are you-”</em></p><p><em>“Enough of this!” </em>A voice off-screen yelled, making the pinkette look up. <em>“Face us and your doom!”</em></p><p>Oh Mavis, they were already at the location, weren’t they?</p><p><em>“Listen, lion-guy. This isn’t really a good time...”</em> Natsu started, before jumping to the side, dodging a blurred strike from his opponent. He appeared to be in a fancy library.</p><p>“Natsu, this is important.” Loke insisted. "Where is Lucy?” A crash sounded through his phone’s speaker, pieces of tiles flying around as Natsu flipped over a...frying pan (?).</p><p><em>“I didn’t catch that last part.”</em> Lucy’s friend huffed. <em>“Could you maybe call back a little later? I’m kinda busy.”</em></p><p>What little they could see of the action presently happening, Natsu turned 180 and flew at one of the men, one fist...on fire?! Instead of connecting with the tall man, Natsu’s hand slammed against a hastily thrown up (it really was a) frying pan. A smaller man with a semi-bold head, wielding the culinary weapon, threw him back, whilst the taller one followed through with a kick. Natsu (and the watching Celestials) rolled out of the way.</p><p>“Where is Lucy?” Aquarius yelled loud enough to catch the last Dragon’s attention, making her assembled nakama’s ears ring.</p><p><em>“Reading.” </em> Came the hasty answer, as the teen they’d collectively interrogated in the hallway, flipped back, but found his way blocked by a...was that a golden statue of a potato? With a moustache?</p><p>“She’s not with you?” Loke asked, dread rising.</p><p><em>“Nope. Gone to figure out some hidden message in this book we’re supposed ta destroy-”</em> Natsu clambered onto the weird statue.</p><p>“Have you seen Duke Everlue?” Aquarius asked, again unnecessarily loud and way too close to Loke’s ears.</p><p><em>“Yeah. That jerk made the damn floor shake! He’s gone after Lucy and the book.”</em> Natsu looked down onto the circular floor, the two men grinning cockily up at him.</p><p>The dread made itself a home in Loke’s stomach.</p><p>“Natsu, Lucy might be in serious trouble-”</p><p><em>“Is that all?” </em>One of the men’s voices interrupted Aquarius. <em>“You might be a Dragon, but you’re still just a little, lone assassin!” </em>He taunted further.</p><p><em>“Whaddaya mean, Lucy’s in trouble?” </em>Natsu asked them, ignoring his opponents. <em>“She could take that guy easily.”</em></p><p>“Duke Everlue is not a man you want to mess with.” Virgo said, leaning further into the picture.</p><p>“He might have a grudge against her-”</p><p>
  <em>“Big brother! He’s ignoring us!”</em>
</p><p><em>“Grudge?! We just got here- never mind, give me a second.” </em>Natsu set down his phone, plucking a grenade from his belt with his free hand.</p><p>The six S-Class assassins could only watch as white smoke filled their screen and Natsu pulled his scarf over his mouth and nose. Surprised and enraged yells sounded from further away, before the pinkette leapt from the camera’s angle. Sounds of exchanging blows were vaguely recognizable. They all leaned back from the screen in unison, as a <em>woosh</em> sounded and flames covered a good part of their viewpoint.</p><p>“What the...?” Gemini started, interrupted by the noise of two bodies hitting the floor.</p><p>
  <em>“Brother...tell me when the room stops spinning.”</em>
</p><p>Seconds later, Lucy’s friend was holding his phone again, his hair smoking ever so slightly and covered in a fine layer of ashes.</p><p><em>“I might’ve gone a little overboard.”</em> He explained sheepishly to the questioning looks from their side. <em>“Now...why are ya calling?”</em></p><p>“We saw that you’re going after Everlue and need to warn you that he might try to harm Lucy.” Aquarius explained in her business voice.</p><p><em>“But we just need to steal a book. Why would he go after her for that?”</em> Natsu flexed his free hand, the one he’d hit solid Teflon with, grimacing slightly at the movement.</p><p>“Long story. We threatened the guy ages ago and he might be a little bitter.” Gemini summarized.</p><p>
  <em>“Why’d ya threaten him?”</em>
</p><p>“I would like to know that as well.” Virgo said from the side.</p><p>“Again, long story. You need to make sure Lucy is alright. Please.” Aquarius added after a second.</p><p><em>“Of cause...But I don’t know where they are. This place is huge!”</em> Natsu exclaimed through the phone’s speaker, sounding reasonably worried enough to Loke’s ears.</p><p>“Princess would search for a secluded, quiet place...” Virgo mused, her deep-in-though-face (discernable from her normal expression by the tiniest of creases between her brows) on display. “I believe I know where she might go. Natsu of the Dragons,” She leaned further into the frame. “do you see a golden sconce beside the door to the left of the statue?”</p><p>
  <em>“A what?” </em>
</p><p>“A golden...candlestick holder? On the wall.”</p><p>
  <em>“Yeah, what about it?”</em>
</p><p>“Please stand in front of it.” Virgo instructed.</p><p>
  <em>“Why? Shouldn’t I try to find Luce before that Everlue-guy does?”</em>
</p><p>“Pull the left one towards you.”</p><p>
  <em>“I really don’t get what this is supposed to dAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH-”</em>
</p><p>Their image suddenly dropped, accompanied by the Dragon’s screaming.</p><p>“That slide leads directly to the sewers; the logical place for Princess to head, if she took the door Natsu of the Dragons gestured to.” The maiden assassin explained calmly.</p><p>“How do you know that?” Loke asked, amazed at her precise memory from over a decade back.</p><p>“I build it.” She stated naturally. “I believe Natsu of the Dragons will quite enjoy the ride. It contains loops.”</p><p> </p><p>-----</p><p> </p><p>Daybreak intrigued Lucy from the moment she’d seen the author’s name on the cover. The late Kemu Zaleon was one of her all-time favorite authors.</p><p>And then she’d read the introduction. Duke Everlue was the hero of this story?! Why would a renowned author like Kemu Zaleon write an entire book praising that man? That’s when she’d looked closer at the author’s note. It was a jumbled mix of words and numbers, making no logical sense to read.</p><p>It brought up memories of Capricorn reading to her as a child. Specifically, his collection on cyphers, encryptions and secret writings, which they’d used to pass ‘secret’ messages back and forth as a game.</p><p>Leaning against the stone wall of the sewers beneath the mansion -it had been the first place she’d found which was relatively well hidden- Lucy recalled some of Capricorn’s teachings. Translating letters to numbers was one of the simplest and common ways of disguising a message. She tried it, but it made no sense:</p><p>21:04:16 = U D P</p><p>45:25:08 = ? Y H</p><p>No, these numbers had to mean something else. It had to be related to the book. The most obvious answer would be ‘page:line:word’. Her excitement grew as the first word combinations made sense. Drowning out the noise of the rushing water in front of her, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the multifunctional pocketknife from Gemini.</p><p>Whilst most of her nakama had taught her one, or multiple, forms of combat and gifted her an appropriately coherent weapon, Gemini had given her an ‘adaptable blade’, which housed (amongst other things) a set of lockpicks, a screwdriver, a tiny saw, a knife, a wire cutter and -what she was now making use of- a little pen.</p><p>Using the flyleaf as the blank sheet of paper, Lucy hastily flicked back and forth in the book, following the author’s hidden instructions.</p><p>Her excited smile faltered, as she uncovered more and more of the message left by the author. She furrowed her brows in silent rage, hatred for the duke rising from the pit of her stomach. She’d worked her way through roughly half of the given numbers, the message getting clearer and clearer the faster she translated the code. Her universe of numbers, letters and the feeling of riffling pages was disrupted by the slightest sound of stone moving on stone.</p><p>Still half entranced by Daybreak, Lucy’s head snapped around, just quick enough to see the stone wall sliding to the side directly behind her, smooth as butter. Before she could move from her cross-legged position, two arms shot out of the opening, grabbing her wrists, and twisting them behind her back. Lucy hissed a curse as her muscles protested at the unnatural movement, and that she’d gotten distracted during a mission yet again! If Aquarius ever found out about this...oh Mavis, that lecture would never end.</p><p>“So, what secrets does Daybreak hold?” The duke’s slimy voice echoed along the sewer tunnel. “Let me guess...he buried his fortune and there is a treasure map hidden inside!-”</p><p>Lucy stopped momentarily in her struggling to stare at the man over her shoulder. <em>That’s</em> what he thought the secret was?! Nothing to do perhaps with the...oh she didn’t know...blackmail and unrightful detainment?! </p><p>“-You will tell me what you have found!-” Everlue twisted her arms further, eliciting another hiss from Lucy as her joints burned. He was much stronger than she’d assumed. She just needed him to step out of the opening a little further...</p><p>“-I commissioned this book, therefore any secrets it holds rightfully belong to me!-”</p><p>Lucy’s right hand was still clutching Gemini’s pocketknife. She slowly tucked in the pen, feeling along the side for the little knife.</p><p>“-So, tell me, or I will snap your arm like a toothpick!” He pushed her further away from the wall.</p><p>The blonde was ready with a come-back, managing to look over her shoulder at the duke. But the words died on her tongue, when she saw the door sliding closed, near soundlessly. In the exact same way that one of the entrances to a secret passage in their gym did. This could only mean...no! No more distractions! One thing after the other. Break grip first, then inspect the hidden door!</p><p>In a move she’d practiced since she could walk, Lucy hooked one of her legs around the duke’s, preventing him from lifting her off the ground.</p><p>He cursed and before either he or Lucy could plan another move, something small, blue and furry flew at the duke’s face. The man howled as Happy left little, red scratch marks down his cheek, before jumping off to the side. This was enough for Lucy though.</p><p>Everlue’s grip loosened just enough for her to turn her wrist, grazing his own with the pocketknife and earning an enraged yell of pain from her attacker. He’d barely let go of her right arm, when Lucy was already slamming her elbow between his ribs, finally gaining enough room to turn and Lucy-kick the creep away from her, earning the release of her left arm in the process.</p><p>The duke crashed onto the hard ground several meters away and Lucy felt safe enough to roll her arms about, relaxing the previously strained muscles in them.</p><p>“Thank you so much, Happy!” She grinned over at the little feline, who meowed back proudly and promptly jumped into...the sewer water.</p><p>“Happy no!” Lucy groaned, as Natsu’s roommate started paddling around happily in the murky stream. She did not envy the pinkette, when Happy’s next bath-time rolled around.</p><p>“YOU DAMN CELESTIALS!” Everlue bellowed angrily, getting back on his feet.</p><p>Lucy tightened her grip on her whip, daring him to step too close.</p><p>“I know these types of passages!” She shouted back, gesturing to the invisible door in the stone wall. “Those were built by Virgo, weren’t they?”</p><p>It was the only explanation she could come up with. The platform should’ve tipped her off, but now seeing another one of Virgo’s architectural masterpieces, it was clear as day.</p><p>The duke sneered. “That ugly girl used to work here, until I couldn’t stand the sight of her anymore.”</p><p>Lucy stared at the man. Virgo? Ugly?! Was he blind or something? He was just giving her more and more reasons to hate him, wasn’t he?</p><p>“What did you mean with <em>‘you Celestials’</em>?” She demanded, trailing the duke’s movements carefully. Because if she knew anything about Virgo, then she knew there were a lot more passages around here than the one she’d already seen.</p><p>“Don’t play dumb with me, you little-” A circular part of the stone ceiling behind the duke rolled open. Lucy tensed, prepared for more guards or any other trick that sleezy creep had prepared. What she didn’t expect, was the distant screaming that grew louder and louder, echoing out of the opening.</p><p>“What the-?”</p><p>A blurred Natsu crashed onto the ground, abruptly ending the screaming, holding his phone up with one arm to save it from the fall.</p><p>“Natsu?” Lucy asked confused.</p><p>The assassin in question groaned, before bolting up and lunging for the edge of the stone floor and proceeded to empty his stomach of the five hotdogs -plus one apple- into the sewer water, luckily downstream from Happy.</p><p>“A-Are you alright?” She questioned carefully, after the disgusting noises had stopped.</p><p>He groaned again, weakly holding up his phone.</p><p>
  <em>“Lucy?! Thank Mavis, you’re alright!”</em>
</p><p>“Aquarius?!” Lucy stared past the duke, at the lit-up screen in Natsu’s hand. Why did they call him? HOW did they call him? And did Aquarius just express genuine worry?! What was happening here?</p><p>“Is this your new plan? When I sneak out, you call Natsu?!” Lucy accused her six nakama over Natsu’s phone.</p><p><em>“No -well, maybe- but that’s not the point!” </em>Lucy could see Loke pushing his face closer to the camera. <em>“Stay away from Duke Everlue, Lucy. There is some history-”</em> He trailed off, as he saw Lucy’s apologetic smile.</p><p>
  <em>“What?”</em>
</p><p>Natsu turned the phone slightly further to his left, so that they saw the oval form of Everlue, standing between himself and Lucy.</p><p><em>“Well...shoot.” </em>Gemini huffed from the other line.</p><p>The duke in question had regained his cocky grin, building himself up to his full -not exactly intimidating- height.</p><p>“Oh, this is just perfect. Just perfect, indeed.”</p><p>Lucy was lost. She looked from the queasy pinkette, to his phone, then to the duke and back to the phone, which Aquarius had wrestled away from Loke and was glaring through the camera at Everlue.</p><p>
  <em>“Stay away from her! She had nothing to do with those letters!”</em>
</p><p>Letters?!</p><p>“These two brats broke into <em>my</em> mansion and are trying to destroy <em>my</em> book! Rest assured that every Rune Knight will be on my side, no matter the outcome of this!” He shot back at Aquarius. Had their bluenette leader been there in person, he would’ve been begging for mercy already.</p><p>Lucy looked over at Natsu, who’d managed to prop himself up on his knees, still looking a little pale from...however he’d gotten down here. She raised an eyebrow in question to him and he shrugged.</p><p>“I dunno, Luce. Something about threatening potato-guy over there. Don’t know why.”</p><p>A lightbulb went off in Lucy’s head. This made sense now. Celestials were known for their threats and that they carried them out if needed. So, if Virgo used to work here, and Everlue would’ve tried to use their past to gain advantages from her...of cause her nakama would’ve put preventions in place against that. Hold on, why hadn’t she gotten to write a threat too?</p><p>“-you criminals have picked the wrong man to mess with!” Everlue proclaimed confidently, slowly drawing out the remote control from his suit’s pocket. “But since I’m such a nice person, I might send you her marked hand...to remember her by.”</p><p>Lucy’s focus snapped back to the present, as she levelled Everlue’s glare with one of her own. She’d be damned before she’d let herself get taken out by that little gremlin.</p><p><em>“Why, you little-”</em> Gemini started. Everlue pushed one of the buttons.</p><p><em>“Princess, duck!” </em>Virgo screamed, panic in her usually monotone voice.</p><p>Lucy threw herself onto the ground, just as one of the stones in the wall shot out at her, grazing her blonde locks on her way down. She quickly rolled underneath the extended piece of rock, still attached to the wall. It looked like the wall had tried to punch her.</p><p>“Really, Virgo? Traps?” Lucy asked in a lighthearted tone, trying to soothe the panic she knew the pinkette would be feeling. “Good thing I haven’t found those at home yet.”</p><p>Before anyone could retort, the duke pressed another button. The tiniest of sound prevented Lucy from being squished beneath another boulder, pure reflexes guiding her jump to the side.</p><p>Alright, this was getting serious.</p><p>“Okay, that’s it!” Lucy and the duke glanced to Natsu, who stood back on his feet, looking about 110% done with their mission. “I’ve been on <em>two</em> trains today, experienced an earthquake, went down a Mavis-damn slide AND FOR SOME REASON my cat is swimming in sewer water! This day is <span class="u">not</span> ending with my friend being squashed by a rock!” He turned his phone towards him. “We’ll call you back when this is over.” And disconnected the call, with the barest sounds of protest managing to come out of the speakers.</p><p>Despite the situation they were in, Lucy smiled at Natsu’s words. Somehow that little speech had raised her confidence tenfold, reassuring her that they would get out of this mess. Without killing the duke. Assassin’s Rules and all.</p><p>“Then you had better not mess this up, right Natsu?” Lucy called over, levelling herself into her ready-to-spring-position, smiling as she could practically feel her knives humming in anticipation. Daybreak was safely tucked into the back of her belt, half of Kemu Zaleon’s message written on the blank page.</p><p>“Hah! Right back gotcha, Luce.” He got into a solid stance; fingers ready to push the igniter in his gloves.</p><p>Duke Everlue looked from one to the other, carefully contemplating his next move, Lucy could see it in his beady, little eyes, thumb hovering over a series of buttons on the remote.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alright, first Celestial-backstory done! It's not very specific, but I hope you get the picture of where Virgo was before joining Layla and the others. I suppose, I could've been more detailed with her past, but I couldn't get myself to write someone being so mean to Virgo this early on. But I thought I'd start with her backstory, because she seems to be a lot of people's favorite character... And with "a lot of" I mean two people from the comments and myself...<br/>More backstories were hinted at and most of them will get further explanation, if not their own chapters. </p><p>PS: No, I don't know how databases work. I'm Gemini in this context.<br/>Also, if anyone is interested, the way Lucy broke Everlue's grip is a converted version of "Women self defense - How to escape a grab from behind" by Master Wong on YouTube. So minus the knife and the blue cat.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. The Secrets of Kemu Zaleon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Did he hang up on us?!”</p>
<p>Scorpio ignored Loke’s indignant yell at his dark phone screen, instead focusing on his girlfriend’s own coping mechanism when worried. Aquarius had gone back to pacing the length of the living room, muttering curses underneath her breath, whilst glaring murder at the hardwood floor.</p>
<p>Scorpio could’ve started rationalizing the events to his nakama right then, but stayed quiet, knowing exactly what would have to come first...</p>
<p>“Is there a way for us to get there, like right now?” Aquarius’ head snapped to the five of them, blue hair whipping the air in the sharp movement.</p>
<p>...the impossible question. It would always be asked by someone if they sensed the immediate danger to one of their own. And if -like in this case- the danger and their nakama were a long distance off, the question would always be followed by...</p>
<p>“I could drive!”</p>
<p>...Virgo’s enthusiastic offer of driving them there. Also known as the near-death-experience with multiple heart attacks due to her break-neck-speed, whilst praying to every god in existence that you might survive the next curb.</p>
<p>Loke visibly paled at the mention of Virgo’s unlicensed (because no county in their right mind would’ve given her driving abilities a legal pass!) operation of a vehicle. Which would, of cause, lead to...</p>
<p>“I don’t think that is necessary, Virgo dear.-”</p>
<p>...the polite decline of Virgo’s offer, this time said by her elderly partner.</p>
<p>Now would usually be the time where either Capricorn, Cancer, Aquarius or himself, would calm everyone down. But since the first two weren’t present and Aquarius herself was indulging in a rare display of worry, it should be up to him.</p>
<p>But to his surprise, Gemini -usually on the more [over-]protective side of the spectrum- carried on:</p>
<p>“-Let’s be reasonable here.” (A stolen catchphrase from Capricorn.) “Everlue is only one person. Lucy is a very talented assassin, who has yet to fail on a mission and Natsu is a Dragon, who obviously cares about her. They will be fine.”</p>
<p>Aries nodded her silent confirmation from her seat, too shy to give such speeches of her own, but she usually agreed with the saner portion of their guild. Unlike her partner, who was frowning with displeasure at their predicament.</p>
<p>Even Virgo pouted a little (you could tell by the slightest down tilt of the corner of her lips) but more so that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to cause 100s of 1000s of jewels in damages from their road trip (it was like she took hitting every mailbox on their way as a personal challenge!). Yet there was something else swimming in her blue eyes. Something she was trying to disguise. Alongside the worry they were all feeling, Scorpio detected the smallest sliver of guilt that the pink-haired assassin couldn’t hide; most likely the reason Gemini had given them a Capricorn-worthy talk in the first place.</p>
<p>Those pillars that had missed Lucy by a hair’s breadth, those were of her own creation. If they were the reason for any injuries on Lucy’s behalf... Scorpio knew Virgo would freak out. And that was something no one wanted to see.</p>
<p>So, the scorpion-themed assassin reached out a hand and lazily ruffled the short strands of pink hair. Virgo let out a surprised squeak -a sound too cute for this world- and batted his hand away.</p>
<p>“Don’t stress about it.” He gave her a well-practiced, confident grin, whilst Virgo repositioned her ruffled headband, giving him the full force of her stink-eye. “You forget Lucy was raised by Loke, Aquarius and Taurus. She’s too stubborn to be squashed by a rock. The stone would probably break on impact, but not her.”</p>
<p>Gemini shot him a thankful look. He could see Virgo contemplating his words for a moment, perhaps coming up with arguments for why she deserved punishment. But then something else popped up in her head. She remembered what the phone call had been about.</p>
<p>“I still request an explanation of why you threatened Mas- Duke Everlue.” She said, formality back in place.</p>
<p>Scorpio watched his partner’s head snap back up, stopping on her way of pacing a whole in the floor. Here was something she could do. Something to distract all of them.</p>
<p>“Well...” She fell back onto the couch between himself and the stoic pinkette. “...It started shortly after you joined...”</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natsu watched the duke’s finger carefully as they glid over the remote, prepared to bring down the entire ceiling on them, he was sure. His gut had been right when it told him that this guy had tricks up his sleeve and, judging by the little claw marks down his cheeks, he’d also been correct to send Happy after her. That reminded him, he’d have to give him an extra fish for that later on...</p>
<p>And, evidenced by the bleeding wrist holding the deadly remote, Lucy had gotten in a few hits of her own. Thinking of... Natsu met the blonde’s brief glance across the tunnel.</p>
<p>She gestured to her whip, then looked into the air. That could work. He raised one eyebrow, patting his grenade-belt gently, glanced to the ground. She smiled, gave a brief nod. She’d start this off and wait for his signal.</p>
<p>Both teens looked back to the duke, the plan they’d formed in a split-second ready to go, Natsu smiling confidently and Lucy as business-like as always when facing an opponent. He could see it in the focused look in her eyes. She wouldn’t take any of the previous events into account. Lucy wouldn’t think about her nakama, she’d ignore the fact that Everlue had threatened her personally -although it sure as hell motivated Natsu.</p>
<p>Lucy snapped her whip, not to hurt the duke, just to grab his attention with the loud sound. It worked. Everlue, thinking she was attacking, pressed a button. Another pillar shot out of the ceiling, smashing into the horizontal one from his first attack.</p>
<p>Dust and debris clouded Natsu’s vision as he reached for a grenade. He hissed quietly when the fingers of his right hand made contact with the cool metal. Yup, those were definitely bruised. Stupid frying pan.</p>
<p>“Look.” Lucy’s calm voice came from somewhere in the dust cloud. “I know the whole story now. This horrible adventure novel is about a trashy, little character named Duke Everlue!” She taunted further.</p>
<p>Natsu stayed focused, trying to reach the wanted grenade with his uninjured, left hand.</p>
<p>“I wouldn’t call the mighty protagonist trashy!” Everlue shot back, sending more boulders shooting out of the walls. Natsu finally managed to dislodge the pin in the weapon with the white label. He let it roll slowly towards the duke, a silent hiss following its movement.</p>
<p>“I can’t believe your arrogance!” Natsu let go of a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding at the sound of Lucy’s voice. “You forced him to write this!”</p>
<p>“What’s the big deal? Any author should count themselves lucky to have me as their mu- hey! What is this?!”</p>
<p>The duke had finally noticed the white smoke slowly escaping from Natsu’s grenade. Nothing explosive and it was too heavy to take up the entire room, but this was only step 1 in their plan. Unfortunately, this also brought the attention of the duke back to Natsu.</p>
<p>The pinkette yelped, as a pillar of stone slammed down, grazing the skin on his arm as he jumped to the side.</p>
<p>“But that Zaleon-fellow had the nerve to say no!” Everlue went on, a sneer on his round face. “So, I gave him some inspiration in the form of an ultimatum; write the novel or I’d let his family feel my wrath.”</p>
<p>Something tightened in Natsu’s chest.</p>
<p>“You threatened his family?!” He yelled angrily, earning himself another pillar that shot up from the ground in front of him. He stumbled, landing on his back. Only thanks to the warning shout from Lucy, did he roll out of the way of a second boulder, crashing down beside his head.</p>
<p>“But that’s not everything, is it?” Lucy’s voice called out again, distracting the duke long enough for Natsu to jump back on his feet and roll another smoke bomb towards the middle ground between himself and Lucy; right where the duke stood.</p>
<p>The prompt was enough to catch the narcissist’s attention.</p>
<p>“No.” He cackled, coughing a little as the smoke that wafted up to his chest found its way into his lungs. “I didn’t like his attitude, so I thought he’d stay best focused on the novel in a cell! It is amazing how quickly someone will swallow their pride, when you make just the smallest of threats. It is truly hilarious!”</p>
<p>Natsu saw red.</p>
<p>This man... this man had kept that novelist away from his family for years... holding their safety over his head... keeping that dread and uncertainty going... and he found it funny?</p>
<p>He wished he had his staff, just so he could have something that stopped his fingers from digging into the material of his gloves, squeezing the tubes and metal coverings beneath to the brink of breaking them.</p>
<p>Whatever he was thinking must’ve shown on his face, because Lucy’s gaze caught his own across their battlefield, half covered by piles of rubble where pillars had crashed onto other pillars. She slowly shook her head. He knew, he knew.</p>
<p>Assassin’s Rules stated clearly that a target could not be killed, if not necessary. As much as he loathed it, Everlue hadn’t murdered anyone himself, he wasn’t trafficking humans, nor extorted them. No, all they could get him for was level 100 corruption and that was no crime to end someone’s life for.</p>
<p>Natsu was not a bloodthirsty person, not by any stretch of the imagination, yet he hated the fact that, no matter what secrets Lucy had uncovered in that book, the I.P. wouldn’t be able to do squat to Everlue. He was too powerful, too well connected, too buddy-buddy with the Rune Knights... it was frustrating.</p>
<p>He gave her a forced smile, not to show that he agreed, but just to show her that he understood.</p>
<p>And then Duke Everlue made his fatal mistake; he kept running his mouth.</p>
<p>“But perhaps I should’ve made an example of them... well, it’s never too late.” He mused. “I’m assuming that one of Zaleon’s offspring contacted you criminals... the Rune Knights would need no further evidence to convict them. They’d lose their citizenship at the very least. Or perhaps they’ll end like those assassins all those years back... so many options!”</p>
<p>A clear, unmistakable threat to the client’s life.</p>
<p>Natsu didn’t know which section in the Assassin’s Rulebook stated it, but that was one of the sanctioned reasons to fulfill the name of ‘assassin’. Lucy did know which part of the book that passage was in -heck, she knew the whole thing off by heart- and once again, brown eyes met his onyx ones across the tunnel.</p>
<p>He nodded glumly. She nodded back, gesturing to the smoke, to her whip and then pointed subtly to her upper thigh, where she’d strapped the scissor-knife under her skirt. Natsu understood. Same plan, different ending.</p>
<p>Everlue didn’t notice the change in atmosphere from his two opponents, too busy dreaming up ways of tormenting Zaleon’s predecessors for generations to come. He still felt safe, Natsu realized. The duke didn’t know that he’d just given them justified cause to end his life. He might as well have started digging his own grave.</p>
<p>Natsu gave the signal. The tiniest of spark from his glove was enough to set fire to the white -flammable- smoke, dispersed so perfectly around the duke by his grenades.</p>
<p>Everlue saw the wall of flame speeding towards him, his eyes widening marginally. The fire would eat away the smoke almost instantaneously, and it was barely hot enough to singe the duke’s suit. But he didn’t know that.</p>
<p>And just like they’d predicted, the little man pressed a button, a slab of stone beneath his feet jumping up just enough to send the duke flying over the smoke. At Natsu. Another variable they got right.</p>
<p>Natsu didn’t bother moving out of the way, even as the round man came barreling closer at him. Because Lucy’s whip was already flying after Everlue, its snake-like movements a black blur, as it curled around the duke’s waist mid-air. To counter his falling momentum, Natsu jumped up, kicking Everlue, at the same time Lucy tugged on her whip.</p>
<p>The duke let out a partially surprised and pained grunt, as they were forced back in Lucy’s direction. The blonde was already moving, meeting them in the air, Cancer’s knife in one hand. It might look like a pair of scissors, but the weapon was actually two razor-sharp halves of a blade.</p>
<p>Just as gravity was taking its hold and the three of them began falling back down, did Lucy draw back the dagger. Natsu’s hand found hers and helped her in the movement. Everlue let out a gasp, his eyes going wide and then rolling back into his head, as both assassins pushed the blade between his fourth and fifth ribs. Shared mission, shared credit, shared responsibility.</p>
<p>Everlue’s body slumped to the ground with a soft thud, blood already starting to leak onto the stone floor beneath him.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“So, you see, Mr. Melon,” Lucy continued, handing the man the book. “Your father explained everything in his last novel. In fact, the word ‘Daybreak’ can be detangled to spell ‘Dear Kaby’...” She trailed off, watching their client smile at the novel, more specifically, the translated message, with watery eyes. That he was the son of the famous author had become evident quite quickly after she’d finished the decoding.</p>
<p>“I-thank you.” He breathed. “Now I finally have some peace of mind.”</p>
<p>Lucy returned his smile. After everything his father had been through, he deserved that peace. Even if it caused a whole lot of sleepless nights for other people. The I.P. was probably already swarming Everlue’s mansion by then, after they’d called. They would be up to their eyes in paperwork, in investigating how far and deep the roots of Everlue’s corruption had spread over the years.</p>
<p>“Now, the matter of your payment...” Lucy was snapped out of her thoughts of trucks piled high with files by their client. Before she could respond, Natsu, who’d been strangely quiet said:</p>
<p>“Don’t worry about it.”</p>
<p>Lucy and Mr. Melon both blinked.</p>
<p>“A-Are you sure, because-” The man started.</p>
<p>“Yeah. When the mission went up to two million jewels, the objective changed from ‘steal’ to ‘destroy’. We did not do that. Therefore, it would bring dishonor to our guilds’ names if we accepted your money.”</p>
<p>Lucy narrowed her sharp eyes at Natsu’s smile. It didn’t quite reach his eyes.</p>
<p>“I-If you’re sure...” The older man stammered.</p>
<p>“Of cause. It wouldn’t be right to accept.” Lucy agreed, because Natsu was right. “It has been a pleasure working with you, Mr. Melon. We’ll see ourselves out.” She was sure the man wanted to read through his father’s last message to him in peace, instead of entertaining the two of them any longer. And they had a train to catch. Also, the I.P. would probably come soon, as they’d told them that a certain novel with the name of ‘Daybreak’ might serve as a vital piece of evidence in proving the duke’s crimes.</p>
<p>They walked down the empty hallway in silence. Finally, Lucy turned to her job-partner and asked conversationally:</p>
<p>“So, what gave it away to you?”</p>
<p>Natsu gave a distracted ‘hm?’.</p>
<p>“That this isn’t Kaby Melon’s house?”</p>
<p>“Oh, the pictures over the fireplace. It was a different family. He must’ve borrowed this place from a friend. You?”</p>
<p>“His suit was borrowed too. Too big for him. Figured he was trying to make the impression of someone who has two million to spend on retrieving one book.” Which he certainly didn’t.</p>
<p>Natsu made another, half-hearted ‘hm’-sound, his eyes looking ahead as they walked down the long driveway, yet his thoughts were far away. Lucy didn’t try to start another conversation, giving him time to think through whatever it was that occupied his mind.</p>
<p>They only stopped briefly on their way to the train station, to dump Happy into the fountain in the town’s square, trying to get the smell of... whatever the sewer contained, out of his fur. There was already a heavy I.P. presence in the town, along with Rune Knights. The two assassins stayed out of their way, walking calmly to the waiting train, not engaging with officers nor knights. The bureaucratic battle was not their part of the job, but the police’s. And the head of each guild’s, to Aquarius’ endless frustration.</p>
<p>Natsu barely registered that they’d stepped onto the train. Only as it moved forwards, did he break out of his silent trance and made a face at his revolting stomach. Had he not emptied it into the sewers, he would’ve most likely been hanging out the window again. He managed to raise a pleading eyebrow at Lucy as the train took a sharp left-turn and the blonde had barely pushed aside her whip, when Natsu was already flopping back down beside her, resting his head on her lap again.</p>
<p>“Hey, what happened to your hand?” Lucy exclaimed, seeing that Natsu’s ring- and middle finger on his right hand had started going a shade of purple-y blue.</p>
<p>“Hm? Oh, frying pan-guy.” Was all the explanation he offered.</p>
<p>Lucy huffed. Damn Assassin’s Pride. Sure, she had some scrapes and bruises as well, but nothing <em>that</em> serious! She managed to reach Natsu’s backpack from her sitting position and fished out the medical tape form his well-used first aid kit.</p>
<p>Natsu hissed quietly as she gently pulled his right hand up and taped the two injured digits together.</p>
<p>“Don’t be such a baby.” She teased. “This wouldn’t have happened, if you’d been more careful.”</p>
<p>There was no whiny or comically outraged response from the pinkette. The silence worried Lucy much more than the bruising.</p>
<p>“Hey, Natsu?” She carefully finished taping his fingers. “Are you... alright?” She hoped he knew she didn’t mean the motion sickness, not even his injury.</p>
<p>“Of cause, Luce.” His numb voice didn’t sound like he believed it himself. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>Lucy ran her fingers through the pink spikes again. She could feel how tense Natsu was and although his breathing started evening out, he didn’t doze off like on the train ride here.</p>
<p>Perhaps this was him working through taking a life. Some assassins took it harder than others. Lucy felt no remorse or bone-crushing guilt the way civilian authors sometimes romanticized an assassin’s way of life. This was her job. And she took pride in doing it well. And she wouldn’t lose any sleep over the duke no longer being on this earth.</p>
<p>She remembered the old fruit-seller who’d gifted them the apples. The woman had known -or at least guessed at- the reason they’d come to Shirotsume Town. Lucy would bet that she would be pleased at the news that her town was now rid off the tyrant. Maybe they could reestablish their guild and start to truly prosper.</p>
<p>But as she watched the low sun over the passing countryside, Lucy poked holes in her own theory. Natsu had looked ready to end the duke the second he’d threatened Zaleon’s family. Maybe the aftermath was different for him...</p>
<p>The blonde looked up at Happy with a questioning gaze. The feline knew Natsu the longest after all. Happy just gave a sad <em>‘meow’</em> as he looked at Natsu. It didn’t answer Lucy’s silent question.</p>
<p>Or maybe it had just been the prospect of more train rides that had gotten to her job-partner. But Happy’s worried glances at his roommate made her doubt that even more than her previous theory.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Natsu stayed quiet during the entire ride back home. He didn’t even do his little happy-dances as the train slowed to a stop, he just let out a relieved sigh.</p>
<p>Alright, something was definitely wrong.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you’re... alright?” Lucy asked again lamely, trying to find a way to formulate her worry into words.</p>
<p>“Duh, Luce. Why ya asking?” Natsu grinned at her as they stepped out of the train. It looked like the time when he’d ran out of her guild, right after their -technically- first -unofficial- mission with Eisenwald. Completely fake.</p>
<p>Lucy was about to tell him why she kept asking, when-</p>
<p>“Princess. Natsu of the Dragons.”</p>
<p>“Hey, kiddos.”</p>
<p>Both teens whirled around on the reasonably deserted platform. Lucy wasn’t at all surprised to see Virgo and Gemini standing in front of them. Neither was she surprised at the fact that the elderly man with a walking stick and the woman with bright pink hair had managed to sneak up on them.</p>
<p>“Hi guys.” The blonde greeted her nakama. “What are you doing here?” She’d send a message to the Celestial group chat as soon as they’d stepped back on the train. They knew she was fine.</p>
<p>“Checking if you are injured.” Virgo stated, summoning a roll of bandages to appear in her hand.</p>
<p>“I should get goin’.” Natsu said quietly, turning to exit the station.</p>
<p>“Oh no. That goes for you too, Natsu.” Gemini smiled at the teen. “You’re Lucy’s job-partner, after all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah, but Luce already fixed my-”</p>
<p>“Nonsense.” The blonde watched with some amusement as Virgo grabbed a startled Natsu by the arm and dragged them both to one of the empty benches along the rails.</p>
<p>He shot her a help-seeking look, but she just shrugged. “Don’t fight it. If you thought Sagittarius was hard to shake, these two are impossible. They once tracked their target to a hidden bunker beneath a mountain. There is no escape.” She sighed dramatically.</p>
<p>“We’ll take that as a compliment.” Gemini smirked right back as his partner procured a can of disinfectant spray out of... only Mavis knew.</p>
<p>“I apologize for the traps beneath Duke Everlue’s manor.” Virgo said suddenly, whilst spraying the raw skin on Natsu’s arm from where a boulder had grazed him. “I should have disabled them when I left.”</p>
<p>“You couldn’t have known that I would one day stumble into the mansion.” Lucy quickly amended. “And in the end, they helped us bring him down.” The duke had used one to fly right into their trap after all.</p>
<p>“Is he...” Virgo started, turning her attention to Lucy’s forearm, where Everlue’s grip had left bruises.</p>
<p>“Threatened our client.” Lucy answered.</p>
<p>“Good.” Virgo said, looking a little relieved.</p>
<p>Gemini nodded his agreement. “The world is a better place for it.”</p>
<p>Lucy watched her job-partner carefully at that statement. He looked like he fully agreed with her nakama. So, he wasn’t guilt ridden by their actions beneath the duke’s mansion. Why then-</p>
<p>“So, was it your turn to follow Luce?” Natsu asked in an attempt to get Lucy’s focused attention off him, all too aware of her analytical assessment.</p>
<p>Gemini chuckled. “Technically, yes. But- why hello there.” He bent down to pick up Happy, who’d been scratching at his cane curiously, rubbing him between the ears. “Such a cute cat. We couldn’t exactly hop on the train with you guys.-”</p>
<p>Lie. Lucy knew that Virgo -ruler of all the sneakiness in every universe- and Gemini -master of disguises and trickery- could’ve easily been in the same compartment as them, and they wouldn’t have realized it. This either meant that they wanted to give them privacy on their first, big mission... or that Virgo didn’t want to leave her preparations for the full-guild-dinner in the hands of someone less capable than her (aka. everyone else).</p>
<p>“-So, we decided to greet you here. Virgo wanted to check your injuries, but also...”</p>
<p>“What also?” Lucy asked, thanking Virgo after she tucked in the last of the bandages around her wrist.</p>
<p>“We wanted to warn you about-”</p>
<p>“There you are!” A new, but familiar, voice called, shortly followed by Loke’s head poking around one of the pillars as he came marching towards them.</p>
<p>“-about the kid.” Gemini huffed. “He’s a little upset, because-”</p>
<p>“You hung up on me!” Loke accused, coming to a stop in front of Natsu.</p>
<p>The pinkette blinked. “Huh?”</p>
<p>“Under Everlue’s mansion? You hung up!”</p>
<p>“So?”</p>
<p>“What do you mean, ‘so?’?! We could’ve tried talking him down! So that he wouldn’t have tried bringing the ceiling down on you two! Or distracted him or-”</p>
<p>Gemini chuckled obnoxiously, catching the ginger’s attention.</p>
<p>“Oh please. As if you could ever talk someone down, Kid.” The old man challenged, smirking as Loke’s eyes narrowed at the name. “All you would’ve managed to do is to rile him up further.”</p>
<p>Loke had the galls to look offended. “I could’ve totally calmed him down, you geezer! And anyway...”</p>
<p>Lucy would’ve happily continued watching Loke vs. Gemini: Round x<sup>Y</sup>, if not for the sad look in Natsu’s eyes. He looked like he wanted to curl up into a ball, much like Happy, who was still on Gemini’s lap.</p>
<p>Alright, this called for an intervention.</p>
<p>Lucy caught his gaze and motioned with her head for them to get out of there. Natsu gave a relieved nod, before discretely grabbing his backpack.</p>
<p>Loke and Gemini were still arguing full force over the fine line between ‘reaction’ and ‘overreaction’, as the two teens slowly backed away from the bench.</p>
<p>“See you at dinner.” Lucy called quietly to Virgo, who waved them off before returning to the verbal sparring-match, which had garnered the attention of the few people waiting around at the station. Happy jumped off Gemini’s lap and followed them.</p>
<p>“Don’t mind Loke.” Lucy smiled as they left the platform, heading further into the streets of Crocus. “That’s just how he shows worry and that he’s happy we are alright.”</p>
<p>Another uncharacteristically lifeless ‘hm’ was all she got from her friend. Lucy exchanged a glance with Happy. The feline seemed to agree with her that something had to be done. So, without hesitation, Lucy grabbed Natsu’s arm and started walking towards the tallest building she could spot.</p>
<p>Time to get to the bottom of this.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I figured, since this is an Assassins AU, and so far there has only been one active death in this story, it was about time that someone else was un-alived. And since neither the anime, nor I, gave Everlue any redeemable qualities, it should come as no surprise that he was the next target. And this time I would not be a coward and do it off screen!<br/>Anyway, bear with me, as in the next chapter, I attempt to write emotions...I promise nothing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Memories of Dragons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Instead of going in the direction of either Natsu’s apartment or her guild, Lucy led them towards the tall apartment complex she spotted right by the station.</p>
<p>“Hey, Luce. What are ya doing?” The surprised assassin asked as he was forced to keep pace with the blonde.</p>
<p>“Don’t ask, just climb.” Lucy ordered, pointing at the pipe that ran vertically down the building.</p>
<p>She didn’t wait for a retort, jumping at the pipe and started shimmying her way up, using available windowsills as a boost.</p>
<p>Below her, Natsu muttered something that definitely included the word ‘weirdo’, but she heard the pipe gave a small creak as his own weight was added, following her up.</p>
<p>Lucy heaved herself over the edge, landing on the flat roof of the building. From up there, she could just barely make out the outline of the palace in the far distance, starkly contrasted by the sunset behind it. Everything had an almost -dare she say it?- peaceful and beautiful appearance; two things the real Crocus was not.</p>
<p>Natsu’s heavy boots landed on the roof beside her and before he could question what they were doing there, she’d grabbed his hand again and led him to the pieces of metal that barely classified as a safe railing. She sat down onto the border around the roof, facing the disappearing sun, using the railing as an armrest. Lucy gestured for Natsu to sit down beside her.</p>
<p>“Didn’t know you were a sucker for sunsets, Luce.” He commented, letting Happy jump onto his lap.</p>
<p>Lucy didn’t respond, instead keeping her eyes on the pinkette.</p>
<p>“Want to tell me what’s wrong?” She asked carefully with a gentle smile.</p>
<p>Natsu didn’t meet her warm gaze, looking into the display of red, pink and orange before them.</p>
<p>“Nothing’s wrong.” He mumbled, scratching Happy’s fur.</p>
<p>Now there was an obvious lie.</p>
<p>“Natsu, I can tell something is bothering you. You don’t have to tell me, but maybe I can help.”</p>
<p>“It’s nothing you can help me with, Luce.”</p>
<p>The Celestial deflated a little. She’d hoped she and Natsu had grown close enough to confide in each other when something was amiss. Perhaps she’d misjudged.</p>
<p>“It’s what that Everlue-guy said...” Natsu said to her surprise, still staring into the sunset.</p>
<p>Everlue? That disgusting man had pushed multiple of her buttons as well, but Lucy didn’t know what he could’ve specifically said for Natsu to still ponder on.</p>
<p>“What did he say?” She questioned.</p>
<p>“It’s not exactly <em>what</em> he said, just...” He trailed off, trying to find the right words.</p>
<p>Lucy waited patiently, until Natsu clutched his fists and burst out:</p>
<p>“It’s the way he talked about what he’d do to Kemu’s family! He blackmailed the guy by threatening who was closest to him... He toyed with the idea of destroying their lives!” He took a deep breath, burying half of his face in his scarf as he went on. “Families are like guilds...and he threatened to get the Rune Knights involved...so he would’ve destroyed their guild... I mean, don’t those people understand how important family and guilds are? That they mean everything to someone?”</p>
<p>It finally clicked in Lucy’s head what was eating away at Natsu. His guild had been eliminated by the Knights five years ago. And today they’d fought a man who’d threatened to cause the same fate to someone else, just to get his way.</p>
<p>“I just keep thinking...” Natsu continued quietly. “My family might’ve been...k-killed because someone like Everlue felt like it that day and let the Knights to their dirty work. All for something as pointless as a novel!”</p>
<p>Lucy moved closer to the Dragon, putting one arm around his shoulders. “I’m sorry, Natsu, I didn’t mean to probe.”</p>
<p>“It’s alright Luce.” He said softly.</p>
<p>They sat like that for a few minutes, both watching the sun grow slimmer and slimmer in the horizon, neither saying a word.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“They were the best, ya know.” Natsu decided to break the silence, doing something he hadn’t in five years; talking about his guild with someone who wasn’t Happy.</p>
<p>He kept staring into the setting sun but saw Lucy’s head peak with attentiveness from the corner of his eyes.</p>
<p>“The Dragons?” She asked carefully.</p>
<p>Natsu nodded, slowly cracking open that forbidden box in the back of his mind.</p>
<p>“My little cousin...her name w-was Wendy...all she ever wanted was to fly. To fly like a bird. She once tried to build her own pair of wings, shortly followed by a kite. Both times she sprained something. But both times she told us proudly how long she’d managed to stay in the air for...” Natsu chuckled a little at the excited, little girl who’d popped up in his head.</p>
<p>“She sounds like a little dare-devil.” Lucy’s gentle voice said from his side. It was enough to raise Natsu’s confidence to carry on.</p>
<p>“She was an angel compared to me and my older cousin Gajeel. Oh Mavis, we got into so much trouble together...-” He felt his throat closing up with unshed tears, but still found a small smile on his face from the happy memories that came before all the horror and pain that had caused his life to flip upside down.</p>
<p>“-And when we’d return h-home, bruised and bleeding half the time, Gajeel would always come up with the most ridiculous excuse. Like: <em>we thought having a race against a stray Pitbull sounded like fun</em>. But he’d say it so straight-faced that our dads never knew if he was kidding or not. Heck, most of the time he wasn’t, but they still thought he was making that stuff up. If that was the case, we wouldn’t even get into trouble.-”</p>
<p>In what felt like a show of support, Lucy leaned further into his side. He slung one arm around her waist, resting his head on top of hers as he continued his story.</p>
<p>“-Dad and Metalicana weren’t much better though. Whenever Gajeel or I planned something ‘big’, they were more than happy to help us, if it involved getting one over on the other. Like, one time, dad helped me make the mix for my very first pepper-grenade, but he insisted we put some in Metalicana’s coffee...as a ‘trial run’. Gajeel’s dad was so mad, he built a glitter-bomb with him and put it in dad’s car...he was trailing glitter particles for a week!”</p>
<p>He felt Lucy’s chest move with light laughter.</p>
<p>“Somehow that doesn’t surprise me at all.”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Grandeeney, Wendy’s mom, she always used to say that she was the only mature adult in the house. She was a medic and Wendy wanted to be just like her. She used to practice on me and Gajeel...her gummy-bear-tincture against the flu was something else, I’ll tell ya...”</p>
<p>Natsu’s smile faltered as the box in his mind revealed the next set of memories...none of them pleasant.</p>
<p>He couldn’t vocalize all those images; the explosion...the bullets flying about...his father’s screams...</p>
<p>But he didn’t have to.</p>
<p>He felt Lucy nod slowly, taking the pressure off explaining what had happened next and letting him push those memories back down.</p>
<p>Despite not sharing them with his friend, Natsu felt a strange sort of weight lifting off his chest. Talking to someone about his family, making sure their memory lived on in another person; it felt good. No matter what happened to him, there was now someone who’d from time to time think about the five Dragons that hadn’t made it out of the guild. It felt like reassurance.</p>
<p>“That’s why I ran out of your guild.” He admitted quietly. It felt like ages had passed since then, back when he hadn’t been brave enough to form a friendship with a human. “Y’know, after the Eisenwald mission? It...they really reminded me of...home. The ‘worried’-voices and the ‘angry-but-happy-you’re-ok’-looks and the ‘I-will-murder-whoever-hurt-you’-attitude...or the guy who carried you home, but semantics...</p>
<p>“Grandeeney would always start ranting if one of us got hurt, going on about ‘<em>idiotic recklessness</em>’ and <em>‘the genetically inherited death wish</em>’ -although that one was just for me and Gajeel. Loke sounded a lot like her, actually. But Grandeeney was also more collected, like Virgo...”</p>
<p>He trailed off, not knowing how to describe the deceased, white haired woman and do her justice.</p>
<p>“She sounds a little like my mum.” Lucy picked up on the silence. “She was always so calm and sweet, but if someone hurt one of our nakama, Mavis forbid, she was first by the door to hunt those people down.”</p>
<p>“Layla of the Celestials.” Natsu said quietly. Definitely one of the most famous assassins in Crocus, perhaps in all of Fiore and beyond. “Grandeeney would sometimes say that she admired your mom, ‘cause she had eleven other members to deal with and she barely managed to keep us five from <em>‘jumping head-first to our deaths’</em>.”</p>
<p>He felt Lucy chuckling against his side. “Mum definitely had her hands full... Like trying to keep Capricorn from killing Loke, after he said that Pride and Prejudice is a zombie story. Or trying to keep Virgo from killing Taurus on their first meeting, when he made vulgar comments on her figure. Or trying to resuscitate Cancer, when Gemini found one of the secret passages and knocked from the inside of the walls. And raising me...”</p>
<p>Natsu could tell she wanted to tell him more about her mother but found the same hesitation he’d faced stopping her.</p>
<p>“Rune Knights?” He asked gently, giving her a start.</p>
<p>“No, for once it wasn’t them.” She answered quietly. “Mum went after a dark guild. Alone.”</p>
<p>Oh. Natsu thought back to the night they’d met. How her guild had acted so worried when they’d heard about Eisenwald. Now it made sense, on top of the usual nakama-affection.</p>
<p>“Why’d she go alone?” Natsu asked carefully, not wanting to overstep the easy, friendly relationship they’d been building. He was genuinely pleased that he had someone to share these kinds of stories with, and that Lucy trusted him enough to do the same.</p>
<p>“No one knows.” The blonde next to him sighed. “I know they all blame themselves for not noticing she’d gone sooner, or demanding she’d take them along, or...I don’t know.</p>
<p>“I don’t really remember much about that night. I was asleep for most of it. Mum told me she was going on a quick mission and that’s the last time any of us saw her. No one wants to tell me, but I think it was about my father...”</p>
<p>“Your father?” Natsu asked after a few seconds of silence. To his recollection, Lucy had never mentioned her dad.</p>
<p>“Yeah. I’ve never met him. He died before I was born. Mum used to tell me that he was a clever businessman. An honest one too. He worked on railroads, supplying them, I think. Mum said that he tried to make our country prosper again, with a well-build network of rails, for import, export and all that stuff.”</p>
<p>“He sounds like a good guy.”</p>
<p>“I’m sure he was. Apparently, he was too good. He was killed by greedy people of power, who wanted his money for their own agendas. He refused to work with them, wanting nothing to do with-”, she gestured around them, to all of Crocus that lay below, “-this. He wanted to be honest and help people. And he was killed for that!-”</p>
<p>It was how things worked in their country. But that didn’t mean Natsu –or anyone- had to like it. That’s why assassin guilds had formed in the first place, after all.</p>
<p>“-I’m pretty sure my mum had finally gotten a lead on who murdered him.” Lucy continued, her voice growing a little thick. “And she wanted to deal with them herself.”</p>
<p>Natsu hugged her tighter with one arm. So, the death of the infamous leader of the Celestials wasn’t just a mystery to the rest of the world.</p>
<p>Happy padded over Natsu’s lap, curling up in Lucy’s free arm, coming after his duty as professional feline therapist.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how you did it.”</p>
<p>He’d almost missed the sentence Lucy had said quietly.</p>
<p>“Did what?” He asked back.</p>
<p>“How you can still be...you. I mean, after my mum was killed, it felt like the world was crumbling around me. But I had my nakama. We all miss her like crazy, but we still have each other. Sometimes at the beginning, when it got really bad, we would all just sit together and tell stories about mum. Most of us would start crying, but it felt good, because she lived on in all of us.</p>
<p>“I trained so hard, learned everything I could, was so careful on my missions, so they wouldn’t have to worry about me leaving them too.</p>
<p>“But...you didn’t have that. I don’t know how you could’ve gone through losing your guild alone, and still be...you.”</p>
<p>“Whaddaya mean by that?” Natsu stalled.</p>
<p>“You know; lively, cheerful, chaotic-” He huffed at that one. “-but in a good way, caring... someone who talks to his cat, and banters with his opponents, and has a smile that’s like a mix of sunshine and rainbows-” A blush spread across Natsu’s face at that one and he was glad Lucy was looking at the sunset and not him. “-and also, a complete goofball...you know; you.”</p>
<p>She’d said it, like it was completely obvious. Natsu was sure his face rivaled both his hair and the sunset. How could she say things like that so easily?</p>
<p>The stalling had completely backfired, because Natsu still didn’t know what to say and now he was also blushing like an idiot.</p>
<p>“I...I, well...” He had to remember her original question and when he thought about it for a little while, the answer seemed perfectly clear to him.</p>
<p>“Well, I guess I knew that dad and all the others wouldn’t want me to be sad forever. What’s the point of having survived, if I wouldn’t...live?-” He tried to explain.</p>
<p>Lucy nodded, making his own head move up and down with the movement.</p>
<p>“-And I had Happy.” He added, reaching over to scratch his roommate’s belly. “I guess I owe it to my nakama to be the best assassin I can be, ‘cause they never got the chance. And I couldn’t do that being sad all the time. I-I miss them like crazy. And sometimes I don’t know why I’m the only one who made it out of our guild and how unfair it is that Wendy and Gajeel never got to go on their first mission...”</p>
<p>He felt a warm tear slide down his cheeks and quickly wiped it away.</p>
<p>Fourteen was the magical number when an assassin could go on their own, official mission (“legally”). Gajeel had promised –although rather reluctantly- to wait the three months until they could both go on their first mission together. And secretly, they’d pinkie-promised a six-year-old Wendy she could come too. Neither of them had been fourteen when their guild had been destroyed, so neither had gotten the chance to fulfill their promise. It was just so...unfair!</p>
<p>Natsu had just turned thirteen, when he’d taken on his first request. He’d needed the money and the distraction. The entire time he’d chased the robber over the rooftops, he’d seen Gajeel running beside him, calling him a <em>‘slowpoke’</em> and laughing his annoying laugh that he missed so much now.</p>
<p>Wendy had been on his other side, defying gravity and gliding over Crocus with a pair of white wings, giggling and calling down to him. He’d almost let his target escape, if it hadn’t been for his subconscious projection of Gajeel saying <em>‘are ya seriously going to fail on yer first mission?’</em> and<em> ‘Mavis, ash-for-brains, keep up, will ya?’</em> the whole way.</p>
<p>A second droplet of water escaped from his eyes at the memory.</p>
<p>Gajeel and Wendy had disappeared just as suddenly as their ghosts had come. And they hadn’t returned. Only in his dreams would he sometimes see his nakama. Sometimes it would be the adults; his dad waving and smiling at him, but no matter how hard he tried, Natsu could never reach him. Sometimes his cousins would be standing beside him, yet their young faces would get more and more unspecific as the time passed. And sometimes he’d see their burning guild-</p>
<p>Natsu blinked a few times, and sniffed, trying to suppress any more tears from coming.</p>
<p>Lucy had let the silence stretch on, but now shifted her head to look up at him.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry I never got to meet them.” She said, meeting his watery gaze with a warm smile.</p>
<p>“They would’ve loved ya, Luce.”</p>
<p>Happy gave a ‘<em>me-aye-ow’</em> in agreement, nuzzling Lucy’s free hand.</p>
<p>“Thanks guys. That means a lot.”</p>
<p>With a deep breath, Natsu shook himself, rattling Lucy, who was still sitting so close beside him, banishing any sad thoughts from his mind.</p>
<p>“Thanks for listening, Luce.” He smiled at her, feeling lighter somehow.</p>
<p>“Anytime Natsu. That’s what friends are for.”</p>
<p>“Hey, don’t you have a full-guild dinner to get to?” He asked, seeing that the sun had set almost completely now.</p>
<p>“I do.” She said but didn’t move away from their hug. “Why don’t you join?”</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>“Come have dinner with us.”</p>
<p>“I doubt your nakama will be pleased, Luce.”</p>
<p>“Nonsense. Last time was a misunderstanding. And if you enter through the door, I’m sure they won’t mind.”</p>
<p>“I’m not sure... I don’t want to intrude-”</p>
<p>“Oh please, Natsu! You have no qualms about intruding anywhere! Breaking into my room is like a hobby for you! And also, today is Friday, so I’m sure Virgo whipped up some fish...”</p>
<p>At that Happy’s head peaked up, looking up pleadingly with his big, brown eyes at Natsu.</p>
<p>“Alright, alright fine.” He relented, powerless against his buddy’s begging-look. “Two against one.”</p>
<p>“Great.” Lucy jumped up smiling, holding Happy safely in her arms. “Come on then, Natsu. Don’t want to be late.”</p>
<p>She turned to run back to the drainage pipe, her golden hair shining in the last rays of the sun. His arm felt strangely empty now and for a moment he missed her warmth and that she’d been so close he’d been able to smell her vanilla and honey shampoo. He shook his head and stood up to follow her. This emotional talk had really messed with his head.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>-----</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Lucy stepped into her guild, an uncharacteristically cautious Natsu in tow. The lovely smell of full-guild-dinner drifted to her nose as soon as she opened the door. Since assassins had a very irregular work schedule, and it was very rare to have all their nakama at the house at the same time, her mum had long ago declared these dinners a priority. And no one had felt like objecting.</p>
<p>She’d been told that Virgo had put herself in the position of head-chef the minute she’d entered the guild, and the other Celestials rotated in helping her with the dinner. It had been Lucy and Cancer last time.</p>
<p>Taurus had long since been banned entry to the kitchen, after he’d taken personal offense from a particularly stubborn walnut and nearly chopped the kitchen in half with his axe. Neither Virgo nor Aquarius had been amused, as he’d proudly held up the split walnut, the kitchen counter in splinters behind him.</p>
<p>“Wow, something smells amazing.” Natsu sniffed the air and Happy agreed with an enthusiastic <em>meow</em>. </p>
<p>“I hope you don’t mind; I invited Natsu.” Lucy called to her bustling guild.</p>
<p>“Of cause not.” Gemini came up to them, smiling up at Natsu. “It’s nice to see you again. How was the mission? How’s your hand feeling?”</p>
<p>He dragged her job-partner to the dining table, whilst Lucy added another plate to the set-up, placing a saucer on the ground for Happy.</p>
<p>“It was interesting.” Natsu answered Gemini’s first question. “Those flying-boulder-thingies were really something else.”</p>
<p>“Ah, yes.” The eldest of their guild agreed, as he gestured for Natsu to sit down beside him. “Virgo is a genius when it comes to such things.”</p>
<p>Lucy watched Virgo smile proudly whilst they carried over the last of the bowls laden with steaming food. The guilt she’d seen at the train station no longer lingered in her eyes, making the blonde smile in relief.</p>
<p>“I installed some traps of a similar style shortly after I joined.” The small pinkette added, taking her seat on Gemini’s other side. “Sadly, I had to take them down, after some careless buffoon triggered them <em>accidentally</em>.”</p>
<p>Natsu snickered, a sound Lucy hadn’t realized she’d missed until that moment. She sat down next to her job-partner and slipping a piece of the steamed salmon on Happy’s saucer. The little cat immediately pounced at it and began tearing it apart with the kitten version of a roar.</p>
<p>“I was that careless buffoon, baby!” Cancer toasted his glass, smirking at Virgo from his chair beside Capricorn.</p>
<p>“Really?” Lucy asked in surprise, helping herself to the fried carrots. Cancer was known for his speed and precise movements. It didn’t sound like him to stumble into a trap.</p>
<p>“I know. You’d think it would’ve been Taurus or Loke. They certainly act like they’ve been hit on the head with a rock most times.” Aquarius said ice-cold.</p>
<p>“But it wasn’t us!” Taurus said smugly, like that was some great achievement. “Loke wasn’t even a member back then!”</p>
<p>Loke face-palmed at the bull’s inability to pick up on their leader’s not-at-all-subtle, snide remark.</p>
<p>“Nope, all me, baby. A fractured skull, six bruised ribs, a dislocated shoulder and a broken ankle, all for trying to find my scissor-sharpener in the basement.” Cancer sighed dramatically.</p>
<p>“I gave a detailed presentation of <em>where</em> I placed the traps and <em>how <span class="u">not</span></em> to activate them!” Virgo snapped back, all whilst maintaining her cool composure.</p>
<p>Gemini patted her shoulder in comfort. “Don’t worry, Virgo dear. I’m sure you explained everything thoroughly.”</p>
<p>“I did.” The small woman muttered, forking her potato with more force than necessary.</p>
<p>“So, Natsu.” Capricorn started after a few seconds of peaceful silence. “I heard you managed to lose Sagittarius. That’s quite an impressive feat.”</p>
<p>“Ah, well...” Lucy watched him go a little pink at the compliment. “It wasn’t easy. Took me forever.”</p>
<p>“Where were you at the end, moshi moshi?”</p>
<p>“Between the recycling bin and the dumpster behind the I.P. station.” Natsu answered, mouth filled with mashed potatoes.</p>
<p>“Hmm, I thought I saw a shadow heading further north.” Sagittarius scratched the head of his horse-onesie in thought.</p>
<p>“That was Happy. I send him ahead, and then he doubled back, didn’t you buddy?”</p>
<p>Happy gave a proud <em>me-aye-ow</em> from his place between their chairs, whilst munching at the piece of the fish with gusto.</p>
<p>“Outwitted by a cat.” Loke muttered, grinning into his glass. “What is the Celestial name coming to?”</p>
<p>“Oh please, it’s not like you’ve never been caught by Lucy.” Scorpio defended the archer.</p>
<p>Loke made a few undeterminable protest-sounds but couldn’t say anything against that.</p>
<p>“Have any of you actually managed to tail Lucy without her realizing?” Natsu asked curiously.</p>
<p>“Virgo and Gemini.” Came the answer in unison.</p>
<p>“No one hears or sees Virgo and Gemini can become anyone on the street, so they can actually make sure she’s safe.”</p>
<p>“Although I don’t need it.” Lucy mumbled quietly, then louder said: “But when I don’t feel followed, I know it’s you two, so, technically, I know you’re there.”</p>
<p>“You have a point.” Gemini shrugged, reaching for more of the green beans.</p>
<p>“Hey, Cap.” Taurus said, oblivious to the other man’s pointed stare at the nickname. (Loke, being the one who’d set it in motion, laughed quietly.) “Why didn’t you congratulate Lucy on looooosing me?”</p>
<p>There was a beat of silence, as each Celestial, plus Natsu, tried to see if the tall man was serious. He was.</p>
<p>“No offense, but it wasn’t exactly difficult.” Lucy tried gently.</p>
<p>“What? I was toooootally silent!”</p>
<p>“Taurus, you tried to hide behind a lamppost!”</p>
<p>Aquarius sighed. “You did what?”</p>
<p>“I blended in.” Taurus huffed.</p>
<p>“With a cow print jacket? In the dark? Beneath a lit streetlight?!”</p>
<p>“It was a spur of the moooooment decision!”</p>
<p>“Clearly not your forte.” Loke grinned, then ducked a flying piece of bread roll.</p>
<p>“No throwing with the food!”</p>
<p>“Sooooorry Virgo.”</p>
<p>Lucy quickly shot Natsu a side look. On the rooftop he’d said that her guild had reminded her too much of his own, making it overwhelming. But he looked calm, joking with Gemini and having a brief contest with Taurus to see who could fit the most bread rolls in their mouth. (Before Aquarius put a stop to it, Natsu had been winning.)</p>
<p>Why did Lucy think, anything to do with her guild and Natsu, could ever be this peaceful for the entire duration of a dinner?</p>
<p>Although, it was surprising to see Scorpio –if unknowingly- being the one bringing on the chaos.</p>
<p>“So, why’d it take you so long to visit us again?” The man with the red and white hair asked, leaning back on his chair with his trademark, easy smile. “Did we scare you off that badly?”</p>
<p>Natsu was about to respond, probably declaring that they hadn’t been <em>that</em> scary, though that would’ve been the lie of the decade, but never got the chance. Because another pinkette beat him to the punch.</p>
<p>“Natsu of the Dragons has been visiting.” Virgo corrected Scorpio.</p>
<p>“He has? Did I miss it?”</p>
<p>The rest of the Celestials exchanged questioning glances, trying to ascertain who’d let Natsu in after their first ‘meeting’.</p>
<p>Lucy’s eyes widened in shock.</p>
<p>Virgo. How could she forget that she saw/knew/heard everything?! And she’d thought they were being so sneaky, with Natsu only coming in through the skylight. Of cause, Virgo being the queen of sneaky, would not have been fooled by that.</p>
<p>Oh no.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Once again, not a psychiatrist. Not even a first-year-psyche-major. However, I do know that talking about lost loved ones helps and can make you feel better.</p>
<p>Also, in the comments, some of you have expressed eagerness for the Celestials' reaction to Natsu visiting Lucy without their knowledge. Well, guess what's happening next chapter?!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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